Cari Dutcher

Cari Dutcher is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Minnesota's College of Science and Engineering. Her research focuses on complex fluids and multiphase flows, with current projects spanning atmospheric aerosols, agricultural sprays, and biomedical applications.

Her research interests include Multiphase Flows, Complex Fluids, Interfacial Phenomena, Microfluidics, and Rheology. She employs macro- and micro-scale flow measurements and mathematical modeling to study systems such as aerosol suspensions, emulsions, foams, and polymeric solutions, with emphasis on dynamic surface tension, phase change, and surfactant transport mechanisms.

Professor Dutcher leads the Multiphase Flows Research group supported by the dedicated Multiphase Flows Research Fund within the College of Science and Engineering. Her laboratory utilizes advanced microfluidic platforms and custom-built equipment including Taylor-Couette geometry for emulsion studies, focusing on experimental validation of polymer-particle interactions and encapsulation techniques for biomedical applications.