Welcome to the Weirich Lab!

We are a group of interdisciplinary and collaborative researchers with broad interests in soft matter, biological physics, and bio-inspired materials. We are particularly interested in the physical mechanisms that underlie the ability of biological materials to self-organize and spontaneously change shape. We investigate these intriguing soft materials in minimal model systems and materials inspired by biology.

We are always looking for creative researchers to join us and welcome inquiries from across fields and levels of expertise. We have several available positions in our growing group! Curiosity and eagerness to pursue collaborative, science-driven research are required. We are also always interested in new potential collaborations!

Some of our soft matter and biological materials interests:

Please visit our research page for information on research projects!

Self-organization

Biological materials form exquisitely ordered assemblies with critical functions that derive from the complex microstructure. In close collaboration with theorists, we design quantitative experiments to elucidate physical mechanisms underlying emergent order in model soft and bio-inspired materials.

Mechanics and deformations

Soft materials bend and deform under stresses with energies comparable to thermal energies. We are fascinated by the unusual mechanical behavior these materials exhibit, particularly in nanoscale filaments and 2D materials, and the mechanisms that underlie directed shape changes in soft materials.

Active Matter

In contrast to materials that we typically manufacture, biological materials are often driven by active components that undergo chemical reactions and drive mechanical displacements. We are particularly interested in understanding new physics found in these dynamic, collective, and non-equilibrium materials.