Hank Ashbaugh

Hank Ashbaugh is a Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Tulane University, where he has been since 2004. His academic career includes postdoctoral positions at Lund University (Sweden), Princeton University, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. He holds a B.S. from North Carolina State University (1992) and a Ph.D. from the University of Delaware (1998).

His research focuses on multiscale simulation and theory of self-assembly in complex fluids, including surfactant solutions, polymer melts, and biopolymer networks. Key interests include designing nanostructured materials using self-assembly principles. His work bridges molecular-level interactions and macroscopic material behavior, with applications in energy and environmental engineering.

Notable achievements include the NSF CAREER Award (2008), Helmholtz Award (2013), and induction into Tau Beta Pi (2013). He has advised over a dozen graduate students and published extensively in journals like Journal of Chemical Physics and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

His teaching includes courses on thermodynamics and applied statistical mechanics. Research labs under his direction explore topics like hydrophobic interactions, solvation thermodynamics, and molecular dynamics simulations of amphiphilic systems. Collaborations span academia and industry, addressing challenges in materials science and environmental engineering.