Aparna Baskaran is an Associate Professor of Physics at the Martin A. Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University. She holds a PhD from the University of Florida (2006) and an MS from the Raman School of Physics, Pondicherry University. Her research focuses on nonequilibrium statistical mechanics of soft materials, active matter, and biological systems. She has been recognized with awards including the 2019 Early Career Award in Soft Matter Research from the American Physical Society and the Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer Prize for Excellence in Teaching. Her work explores emergent phenomena in active fluids, granular materials, and self-propelled particles, combining theoretical, computational, and experimental approaches. Key contributions include studies on active nematics, phase transitions in active systems, and the dynamics of confined active particles. She has advised numerous PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, advancing understanding of soft matter physics and biological systems. Baskaran leads the Baskaran Group, funded by NSF, MRSEC, and the Binational Science Foundation. Her research spans topics like active nematic hydrodynamics, defect dynamics, and the design of active materials. She has published extensively in journals like Physical Review Letters , Nature Communications , and Soft Matter .
