معرفی
Bryan VanSaders serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Drexel University's College of Arts and Sciences since 2023, maintaining his office in Disque Hall 906. His research focuses on emergent phenomena in active soft matter systems through computational simulation.
His educational background includes:
- PhD in Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan (2019)
- MS in Materials Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego (2015)
- BS in Materials Science and Engineering, Rutgers University (2012)
VanSaders investigates the intersection of active matter with topological defects in crystalline colloidal assemblies, emphasizing life-like metamaterial properties through microscopic work dissipation. His work spans informational active matter, excitable swarms, dislocation machines, and odd-material plasticity, requiring novel approaches in nonequilibrium statistical mechanics. Key themes include entropy-driven organization, information flow in metamaterials, and mechanical property engineering through defect manipulation.
His publication trends reveal strong focus on:
- Topological defect engineering for material reshaping
- Information thermodynamics in active systems
- Non-central force effects on crystal plasticity
- Collective behavior emergence from excitable dynamics
Recognized with a Kadanoff-Rice Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Chicago prior to joining Drexel, his work bridges theoretical physics and materials engineering.
VanSaders mentors four students across physics and engineering disciplines, including PhD candidate Matt Velardi. His lab actively recruits graduate students through Drexel's physics program and offers undergraduate positions including paid 2025 summer roles. Current projects examine excitable swarms, dislocation machines, informational active matter, and odd-material plasticity, utilizing simulation and theoretical frameworks to explore emergent organization in soft matter systems.
