Caltech Postdoc L(a)unch Seminar

Lunch will be served at 11:45 AM

Dr. Biyuan Li

Mechanism and Applications of Transport at the Nanoscale

Ion transport in nanoporous materials is central to applications in energy, nanofluidics, and environmental systems. This talk presents molecular dynamics simulations that uncover the mechanisms governing ion diffusion in 2D and 3D nanoporous graphene, and in metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes. For graphene, diffusion coefficients of K⁺, Li⁺, and Cl⁻ are shown to vary with pore size, porosity, temperature, and concentration, and general scaling laws are proposed. In MOFs, we explore selective Li⁺/Mg²⁺ separation and identify optimal pore sizes and operating pressures for high selectivity and flux. These findings provide mechanistic insights valuable for designing advanced membranes and electrodes.

Dr. Amin Tajik

From Chaos to Coherence: Physical Laws Behind Biological Self-Organization

Living systems consume energy to create order. Many essential processes in our bodies, from cell division to muscle contraction, rely on materials that organize themselves. But what are the physical laws that govern this self-organization? How can we measure the energy these systems consume? How can we define order and quantify it?

In this talk, I'll show you a couple of striking examples of self-organization in living systems and why they matter. Then, I'll walk you through different ways we study these systems, from watching them inside living cells to building simplified versions in the lab. Finally, I'll focus on examples of reconstituted systems to show how we turn images of molecules into maps of order and energy to uncover the physical laws behind their self-organization.

For more information, please contact Sejun Kim by email at [email protected] or visit this link to fill up the form and nominate yourself as a speaker.