Greg van Anders

Greg van Anders is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics, Engineering Physics & Astronomy at Queen's University. His research focuses on the intersection of condensed matter physics, soft condensed matter, and systems physics, with a particular emphasis on inverse materials design, self-assembly, and statistical mechanics. He leads the Greg van Anders Group, which explores emergent phenomena in complex systems, including colloidal crystals, hierarchical materials, and distributed system design.

Education: BSc in Applied Math from the University of Western Ontario (2003), PhD in Physics from the University of British Columbia (2008). Before joining Queen's, he held positions at the University of Michigan, including postdoctoral and research faculty roles in Chemical Engineering and Physics.

Research interests include entropy-driven organization, robust design principles for engineered systems, and the application of statistical mechanics to industrial design challenges. His group develops novel methods for predicting and controlling material properties through computational and theoretical approaches, such as digital alchemy and inverse design. Recent work highlights include studies on colloidal pre-assembly, neural network training optimization, and the role of shape in material phase transitions.

Students and collaborators in the group work on projects ranging from computational morphogenesis to nanocrystal assembly, with funding support from NSERC, Mitacs, and the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship program. The group actively promotes diversity and inclusivity in scientific training, welcoming members from varied academic and cultural backgrounds.

Key research themes include understanding how entropy promotes local order, designing materials with targeted mechanical properties, and analyzing system robustness through materials-inspired metrics. Recent publications emphasize applications in photonic crystals, self-assembly of anisotropic particles, and the interplay between geometry and thermodynamics in complex systems.