Paulo E. Arratia

Paulo E. Arratia is a Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics. His research spans soft matter physics, complex fluids, and biomechanics, with a focus on non-Newtonian fluid dynamics, bacterial suspensions, and microfluidics. He serves as the Faculty Director of Undergraduate Research and leads a research group based in Towne M60, exploring phenomena such as viscoelastic flow instabilities and the physics of baseball mud.

• Departments: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
• Honors: Eduardo D. Glandt Distinguished Scholar, Fellow of the Society of Rheology (2025), APS DFD Fellow (2022)

His recent work highlights the interplay between biological systems and fluid mechanics, including studies on bacterial rheotaxis, sedimentation dynamics, and the rheology of human blood plasma. Collaborations with Dr. Jerolmack on mudslide physics and contributions to understanding elastic turbulence and chaotic transport further underscore his interdisciplinary approach.

Scientific awards include:

• Fellow, Society of Rheology (2025)
• APS DFD Fellow (2022) for experimental discoveries in complex and biological fluid mechanics

He has advised PhD students Bryan Torres Maldonado, Ranjiangshang Ran, and Larry Galloway, all of whom successfully defended their theses. His lab’s recent publications analyze soft matter mechanics, granular creep, and viscoelastic swimmers, reflecting ongoing trends in active matter and material failure.