Driscoll Lab


Michelle Driscoll

Michelle Driscoll
Assistant Professor

email: michelle.driscoll@northwestern.edu
ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0002-0930-9579
google scholar
CV

My work focuses on trying to understand how structures are formed in a variety of soft matter systems, and to how to use this structure formation as a new way to probe nonequillibrium systems. Before coming to Northwestern, I was a postdoctoral associate at New York University, working with Paul Chaikin in the Center for Soft Matter Research. I completed my PhD in 2014 with Sid Nagel at the University of Chicago.

Group members

Addison Benz

Addison Benz

research intern
project: ferrofluids

Addison is a student at ETHS, and is working on controlling ferrofluid drops.

Shih-Yuan Chen

Shih-Yuan Chen

postdoctoral researcher
personal website
shihyuan.chen@northwestern.edu

Shih-Yuan Chen got his Ph.D. in Dr. Daniels’ lab at North Carolina State University, working on elastocapillarity and active matter. His current project focuses on synthesizing tunable materials using colloids and polymers.

Samira Khan

Samira Khan

graduate researcher
project: gel fracture
samirakhan2028@u.northwestern.edu

Samira graduated with a B.A. in Physics and Data Science from Mount Holyoke College with a focus on chemistry. She has previously studied the translocation of DNA via a fabricated solid-state nanopore as well as the dynamics of topological defects in an active nematic microtubule system. Samira is also receiving training in Hindustani classical music in addition to her work in the lab.

Kevin Liu

Kevin Liu

undergraduate researcher
project: gel fracture

Kevin is a Northwestern Undergraduate majoring in Physics and Computer Science. He is working on studying the breaking process of hydrogels under extensile forces.

Shankadeep Man

Shankhadeep Man

graduate researcher
project: magnetic microrollers
shankhadeepman2027@u.northwestern.edu

Shankhadeep received his BS-MS with physics major from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata. He keeps an interest in interdisciplinary research and is now working on hydrodynamics of particles with tunable locomotion strategies. He has a profound regard for artistic activities and pursues painting as a hobby.

Sam Nielsen

Sam Nielsen

undergraduate researcher
project: drying drops
samnielsen2024@u.northwestern.edu

Sam is a Northwestern Undergraduate majoring in Physics. He is working on understanding the drying patterns of colloidal drops.

Akalanka Pamud

Pamud Akalanka

graduate researcher
project: imaging complex flows
pamud.akalanka@u.northwestern.edu

Akalanka recieved his Bachelor's in Physics from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Currently, his interests lie in the field of experimental soft matter physics & fluid dynamics. Previously, he did research on simulating magnetic reconnection models in a resistive MHD framework. Outside of work he likes spending time with his family and exploring the city.

Brian Seper

Chauen (Chad) Park

research intern
project: magnetic microrollers

Chad is a student at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. He is currently completely a Student Inquiry and Research Oppurtunioty in the lab, optimizing our magnetic control for both microrollers and ferrofluid drops.

Brian Seper

Brian Seper

graduate researcher
project: drying drops
l4w8b2@u.northwestern.edu

Brian received his B.S. in Physics from Calvin University. His research interests are in the field of Soft Matter Physics and has previously done research studying the physics of lipids and ion channel proteins. Currently, he is using optical microscopy to study the dynamics of drying colloidal droplets. Outside of the lab Brian enjoys playing the violin and chess.

Group Alumni

Carly Galvin, undergraduate researcher, Spring 2021-Summer 2023, now a Physics PhD student at UC Santa Barbara
Desta Tewabe, undergraduate researcher, Fall 2022-Spring 2023
Ivan Fithian, undergraduate researcher, Fall 2019 - Fall 2022, now Development Engineer at Delorean Power
Phalguni Shah, PhD student, graduated Summer 2022, now Research Engineer, PPG, Pittsburg, PA
Brendan Blackwell, Postdoctoral Researcher, Summer 2020-Summer 2022, now Teaching Faculty, Chemical Engineering, Univeristy of Wisconsion - Madison
Kelsey Ann-Leslie, Undergraduate Researcher, Summer 2018-Summer 2022
Lily Boyd, Undergraduate Researcher, Winter 2020 - Fall 2021
Malav Patel, Undergraduate Researcher, Winter 2019 - Spring 2021
Max Paik, Undergraduate Researcher, Winter 2020 - Spring 2021
Xinjue Wei, Masters Student 2019-2020, now a PhD student with Istvan Kovacs
Srishti Arora, Postdoctoral Reseacher, Spring 2018 - Winter 2020, now a Postdoctoral Researcher in the González-García Elektrofluide group at INM
Ernest van der Wee, Postdoctoral Researcher Summer 2018 - Summer 2020, now a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Hoogeboom group at TU Delft
Zehao Song, PhD student 2019-2020, now a PhD student with Monica Olvera de la Cruz
Isaiah Katz, Undergraduate Researcher Spring 2018 - Spring 2020, now an applied math graduate student at UCSD
Orion Forowycz, Undergraduate Researcher Winter 2018 - Spring 2020
Gabriel Petersen, Undergraduate Research Grant Recipient, Summer 2019
Yuchen Liu, Undergraduate Research Grant Recipient, Summer 2019
Ravi Chepuri, Undergraduate Research Grant Recipient, Summer 2019
Eleanor Ward, Intern Summer 2019, now at Georgetown University
Max Shepherd, Intern Summer 2019, now at UIUC
Margot Murray, Undergraduate Researcher Winter 2019-Spring 2019
Robert Doane-Solomon, Intern Spring 2019, now an undergraduate at the University of Oxford
Joseph McCourt, Masters Student 2017-2018, now a PhD student with Michael Bedzyk & Monica Olvera de la Cruz
Max Baliga, Intern Summer 2018, now an undergraduate at Northwestern University
Michael Frim, Intern Summer 2018, now an undergraduate at Harvard University
John Idler, Intern Summer 2018, now an undergraduate at DePaul University
Samuel Kim, Undergraduate Research Grant Recipient, Summer 2018
Ananya Visweswaran, Intern Summer 2018, now at UCLA

Driscoll Lab Fun

Board game night
Game Night, Winter 2022
taco patry picnic
Lakeside taco party, Fall 2020
beach jenga
Lab beach party, Summer 2019