Chemistry graduate students win ACS 'Best Flash Presentation' awards
Penn State chemistry graduate students Sanjana Krishna Mani and Yu-Ching Tseng of the Sen research group have been recognized with “Best Flash Presentation” awards at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall 2024 Global Virtual Symposia for Chemical Nanomotors–Frontiers and Opportunities where they had the opportunity to showcase their research.
This symposium centered on chemically powered nanomotors, emphasizing their collective behaviors, complex taxis, and endless potential applications. The multidisciplinary nature of the topic lies at the intersection of chemistry, physics, and materials science, promoting collaboration between experimentalists and theorists as it delves into electrokinetics, colloidal taxis, and active matter.
Sanjana Krishna Mani
Presentation title: “Droplet Oscillation and Motion: An Interplay of Surfactant Partitioning, Spontaneous Emulsification, and Substrate Wettability”
“My research explores the unique self-powered motion of motile droplets, specifically focusing on oil/water emulsions that display rapid oscillatory behavior,” Mani said. “By studying the interplay between surfactant partitioning, spontaneous emulsification, and substrate wettability, we can uncover new insights into interfacial dynamics that mirror processes seen in living organisms. This work has broader implications for understanding complex, collective behaviors in nature, and mimic life-like dynamics in artificial environments. The ability to control and predict droplet oscillation advances fundamental scientific knowledge while also offering practical applications in microfluidics and the development of adaptive materials, paving the way for innovative technologies.”
Yu-Ching Tseng
Presentation title: “Communicating Liposomes Based on Enzyme-Cascades”
“My research focuses on utilizing enzyme catalysis as a strategy to control the motion of synthetic cells, such as achieving enhanced diffusion and directional movement,” Tseng said. “Our findings represent separate protocell populations can coordinate their motion in response to mutual chemical signals. This enables particles with diverse functions to act collectively, significantly simplifying the design of intelligent functional assemblies.”
Also attending the symposium were plenary speaker Ayusman Sen, the Verne M. Willaman Professor of Chemistry in the Eberly College of Science at Penn State, and Wei Wang, a Penn State chemistry alumnus and co-chair of the event.