Julie A. Kornfield

Julie A. Kornfield serves as the Elizabeth W. Gilloon Professor of Chemical Engineering within the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. Her research focuses on molecular and microscopic aspects of polymer viscoelasticity, with particular expertise in applying optical, NMR, and x-ray techniques to study order and dynamics in various polymer systems.

Her research interests span polymer science with specialization in associative polymers, block copolymers, liquid-crystalline polymers, semicrystalline polymers, and polymer gels. Dr. Kornfield's work bridges fundamental polymer physics with practical applications, utilizing advanced characterization techniques to understand structure-property relationships in complex polymeric materials.

• National Academy of Engineering (2020)
• National Academy of Inventors (2019)
• Bingham Medalist (2017)
• AIChE Fellow (2022)
• American Physical Society Fellow
• AAAS Fellow

Professor Kornfield maintains an active research laboratory focused on polymer characterization and has received numerous teaching awards including the Caltech Graduate Student Council Award for Faculty in a Mentoring Role (2012) and the Caltech Graduate Student Council Teaching Award (2001). She teaches in the Chemical Engineering department, including serving as instructor for the first term of ChE 103: Transport Phenomena. Her laboratory investigates fundamental aspects of polymer behavior using sophisticated experimental approaches to advance both theoretical understanding and practical applications of polymeric materials.