The physical processes underlying the performance of adhesives and coatings are critical to applications in biomedicine, sustainability, and food science. A mechanistic understanding of how these materials achieve and maintain adhesion or lubrication is therefore needed for continued technological advancement. My group bridges the fields of interfacial science, complex fluids, and the mechanics of soft solids. We seek direct experimental evidence of atomic-level intermolecular interactions, complemented by macroscopic measurements of adhesion and friction, to address urgent biomedical and industrial challenges.

We are currently pursuing the following areas:
Bio-inspired, bio-derived materials
Interfacial mechanics of thin films
Sensory perception of foods and beverages