⇒ SMFA 2023 is postponed. Check back for future updates! ⇐

Speakers for the 2021 Soft Matter for All Symposium and Professional Development Workshop

The Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs) of Princeton University, the University of Delaware, and the University of Pennsylvania host an annual one-day virtual symposium to promote early-career researchers in Soft and Living Matter, with a focus on those from underrepresented groups. The symposium highlights the research of doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers, in addition to a keynote — each showcasing innovative and inspirational research across our field. A follow-on professional development workshop will give participants a chance to engage with a wide range of speakers representing academia, industry, and policy to help students and researchers navigate uncertainty across different career paths. 

Soft Matter Collaborative Events

The NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs) of Princeton University, University of Delaware, University of Pennsylvania, University of Chicago, and University of California San Diego will hold symposia and career workshops geared for early career researchers in Soft and Biological Matter during Fall 2022 and Winter 2023. Both events will be virtual.

There are two independent events:

October 6-7, 2022: Rising Stars in Soft and Biological Matter, organized and hosted by the University of Chicago and University of California San Diego MRSECs (more information here)

February 3, 2023 **POSTPONED**: Soft Matter For All and Professional Development Workshop, jointly organized and hosted by the Princeton, Delaware, and Penn MRSECs (event registration coming soon)

The symposia are intended to promote the early-career development of researchers working in exciting new directions in the field of Soft and Biological Matter. Another goal is to increase the diversity of researchers in the field; we particularly welcome applications and nominations for the symposia from researchers who come from under-represented groups. Those selected to participate in the symposia will receive an honorarium. No application is necessary for the Career Development Workshop, which is open to all who are interested.

The symposia have distinct formats: The first (U. Chicago, UC San Diego) will feature talks and discussions over two days, while the second (Princeton, Delaware, Penn) will feature keynote lectures, talks, and discussions over one day. Soft Matter for All will include a professional development workshop, specifically for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs interested in soft matter. To learn more about past events, visit the 2020 and 2021 Soft Matter for All agendas.

Soft Matter for All is organized by: Sujit Datta, Rodney Priestley, Howard Stone (Princeton), Kim Bothi, Thomas Epps, LaShanda Korley (Delaware), and Rob Riggleman (Penn).
Supported by: NSF MRSEC 2011750 (PCCM),  2011824 (CHARM), and 1720530 (LRSM); Princeton DFR, PRISM, MAE, CBE, SEAS, DOF, Graduate School.