Sharon Glotzer

Sharon Glotzer is a Professor of Physics at the University of Michigan, affiliated with the Randall Laboratory and Homer A. Neal Laboratory. She is renowned for her research in self-assembly of colloidal particles, nanomaterials, and computational approaches to materials design. Elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2019, her work bridges physics, chemistry, and computer science to engineer novel materials with applications in photonics, energy, and biomedicine. Her research group focuses on understanding how particle shape, entropy, and interactions drive complex ordered structures. Glotzer has pioneered methods for predicting and designing materials using machine learning and simulation tools like HOOMD-blue. She is also a leader in promoting open science and reproducible research practices.

Her key contributions include the discovery of quasicrystalline colloidal phases, the development of entropy-driven assembly strategies, and the application of graph theory to study material networks. Awards include the National Academy of Engineering membership, highlighting her impact on engineering through fundamental materials science. Glotzer’s interdisciplinary approach addresses challenges in sustainable materials design and has inspired global collaborations in both academia and industry.