Eric Dufresne

Eric Dufresne is a Professor in the Department of Physics at Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences, with additional affiliation in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. His research bridges biological phenomena and soft materials physics to develop sustainable technologies inspired by nature's engineering principles.

Education:

• Ph.D., University of Chicago, 2000
• B.S., Yale University, 1996

Research Interests: Professor Dufresne's work centers on Biological Physics and Soft Matter Physics, investigating how living systems create hierarchical adaptive structures using abundant chemicals and low energy. His lab integrates quantitative studies of living systems with synthetic material design to advance sustainable technologies, focusing on phase separation, biomolecular condensates, and mechanical properties of soft materials.

Publication Trends: Recent work (2020-2023) reveals consistent exploration of non-equilibrium phenomena in biological soft matter, with emphasis on phase separation dynamics, elastic properties of biomaterials, and natural photonic structures. Key themes include mechanical regulation of cellular organization and bio-inspired sustainable material design.

Advising: He mentors graduate student Kaarthik Varma. His research group combines experimental approaches in living and synthetic systems to derive biological insights and novel materials strategies, contributing to Cornell's Physics and Materials Science programs through courses like PHYS 5520 (Supramolecular Biophysics).

Lab: The Dufresne Lab investigates biological phenomena that either suggest novel sustainable material routes or challenge soft matter physics understanding, employing quantitative methods to study hierarchical structures from diatom frustules to biomolecular condensates.