Jonathan Selinger

Jonathan Selinger is Professor of Physics and Ohio Eminent Scholar at Kent State University's Liquid Crystal Institute. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Harvard University (1989) and has held research positions at UCLA, Caltech, and the Naval Research Laboratory before joining Kent State in 2005. His research explores the theory of soft materials, including liquid crystals, nanoparticle suspensions, topological defects, and statistical mechanics, with applications bridging fundamental physics and technology.

Research interests focus on geometric frustration in chiral systems, dynamics of topological defects, flexoelectric phenomena, and applications of liquid crystals in advanced materials. Recent publications emphasize theoretical frameworks for defect behavior in nematic systems, including solitons, skyrmions, and Hopfions, with applications to morphing surface technologies and reconfigurable materials.