Short Course On

Resolving Single Particles and Molecules: New Microscopy Techniques for Rheology

Date and Location

The short courses are held in conjunction with the 77th Annual Meeting of The Society of Rheology (October 16-20, 2005)

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Instructors

Instructor Biosketches

Professor Michael J. Solomon is Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan. Solomon’s current research interests are in colloidal assembly, suspension microhydrodynamics, and polymer turbulent drag reduction, as well as the development of methods in confocal microscopy, image processing, and light scattering.

Professor Patrick S. Doyle is Charles and Hilda Roddey Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research focuses on understanding the rheology and dynamics of single polymers, biomolecules (DNA, peptide gels), and magnetic colloids under forces and fields. His group has expertise in visualizing single DNA molecules in microfluidic devices using fluorescence microscopy and modeling complex fluids using Brownian dynamics simulations.

Professor Eric M. Furst is Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Delaware. Furst’s research studies the structure, rheology and phase behavior of complex fluids by applying new tools based on single-polymer visualization, microrheology, and optical trapping.

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Course Description

Direct visualization methods such as optical microscopy are today increasingly applied to study complex fluid structure, dynamics and rheology. Materials for which direct visualization methods are a key characterization tool include particulate suspensions, emulsions and DNA. Microscopy in particular is applied across a broad spectrum of problems of current interest to rheologists. Optical tweezers and microrheology are also widely applied. This short course will focus on introducing participants to the state-of-the-art in instrumentation, flow cell design, materials for visualization, image processing and data analysis for direct visualization studies. The aim will to introduce a broad audience to these methods so they can be applied to an even greater degree in rheology. A particular emphasis will be to compare best practices prevalent in different areas of rheology. For example, quite different experimental and image processing methods are used in studying colloidal suspension structure, DNA dynamics and emulsion relaxation. Many of the methods used have very different origins: some come from condensed matter physics, others from mechanical engineering and still others from the life sciences. By introducing these various methods in a single course, participants will efficiently learn about techniques that have been successful in other areas and potentially apply them to their own problems of interest. The course will offer a comprehensive introduction to those industrial researchers, graduate students and faculty that seek to incorporate direct visualization methods into their research.

Course Outline

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Short Course Registration

Short course registration includes a complete set of course notes. Registration fees are in U.S. dollars. Payment can be made online with MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express.

*Non-members who are registered to attend the 77th Annual Meeting may register for the short course at the member rates.

Register by Mail (pay with check)

Register Online (pay with credit card)

Cancellations for the short course received in writing (The Society of Rheology 77th Annual Meeting, c/o Savvas Hatzikiriakos, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada) by September 2, 2005 will be refunded minus a $30 administrative charge. Cancellations after September 2, 2005 will only be refunded if the course is overbooked and the seat is refilled (again, subject to a $30.00 administrative charge). Each class is limited to 40 students.

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Questions can be directed to Professor Michael J. Solomon, University of Michigan, current chair of the SOR Education Committee, at mjsolo@umich.edu.