Chinedum O. Osuji

Chinedum O. Osuji is the Eduardo D. Glandt Presidential Professor and Department Chair of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering and Applied Science. He also holds a secondary appointment in Materials Science and Engineering. His research integrates multiple disciplines to advance fundamental understanding of soft matter while addressing critical challenges in water purification, energy generation, and advanced materials development.

Professor Osuji's research spans several interconnected areas including soft matter physics, complex fluids, directed self-assembly, and nanostructured membranes. His lab investigates how external fields (magnetic, electric, optical) can control the spatiotemporal structuring of self-assembled soft materials, with particular focus on liquid crystals, block copolymers, and nanocomposites. A significant thrust of his work involves developing autonomous experimentation platforms to accelerate soft materials discovery, particularly through the Soft-AE system that integrates machine learning with high-throughput characterization.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on membrane science for separation applications, with particular emphasis on precisely engineered nanoporous structures at the sub-1 nm scale. His work bridges fundamental soft matter physics with practical applications in water purification, energy storage, and responsive materials. The research consistently demonstrates how controlling nanoscale structure through directed self-assembly leads to enhanced macroscopic properties.

Osuji has been recognized with the prestigious Eduardo D. Glandt Presidential Professorship, highlighting his significant contributions to engineering and materials science. His research has been published in top-tier journals including Nature Materials, Science Advances, ACS Nano, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Professor Osuji maintains an active research group with numerous PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and collaborators across multiple research thrusts. His lab is organized into specialized subgroups focusing on Autonomous Experimentation, Directed Self-Assembly, Membrane Separations, and Complex Fluids. This structure enables deep expertise in specific areas while facilitating cross-pollination of ideas between research domains.

The Osuji Lab operates from facilities in Towne Hall (office) and the Moore building (research space), with equipment supporting advanced materials characterization including microscopy, scattering techniques, and rheological measurements. The lab's collaborative approach extends to partnerships with other Penn researchers and external institutions, particularly in advancing membrane technologies for water purification and energy applications.