Gary Leal is Research Professor and Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara , within the Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering. A member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the American Physical Society, AIChE, Society of Rheology, and American Academy of Arts & Sciences, he has spent decades investigating the dynamics of complex fluids including polymer solutions, emulsions, foams, and liquid-crystalline polymers. Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, 1965 M.S. Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, 1968 Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, 1969 Research Interests: Leal's current work centers on microstructure–flow coupling in complex fluids. Using a blend of large-scale computation and advanced experimental techniques (many unique to his laboratory), his group studies coalescence, thin-film stability, surfactant effects, nanoparticle-laden interfaces, and the nonlinear rheology of entangled polymers and liquid-crystalline systems. A strong emphasis is placed on quantitative prediction of macroscopic properties from molecular and mesoscale physics. His recent publications reveal sustained leadership in shear banding , flow-induced concentration fluctuations , and orientation imaging via Rheo-SANS. Collectively these works advance the multiscale modeling of soft materials undergoing industrial processing flows and provide diagnostic tools to fingerprint microstructural evolution in real time. Honors & Awards: Bingham Medal (Society of Rheology, 2001) Fluid Dynamics Prize (American Physical Society, 2002) G.I. Taylor Medal (Society of Engineering Science, 2015) Fellow of APS, AIChE, Society of Rheology, AAAS National Academy of Engineering Member since 1987 Dozens of named lectureships including Batchelor, Mason, Lacey, Finlayson, and more Grants & Teams: While specific grant numbers are not cited, Leal has continuously led large, multi-investigator projects—evidenced by NASA Group Achievement Awards, NSF/DOE citations in articles, and extensive experimental facilities. His team operates a multifaceted laboratory coupling rheometry, microfluidic four-roll mills, custom tensiometers, and neutron/x-ray scattering beamlines, maintaining collaborations with national laboratories and international centers for soft-matter research.







