The Edwards research group at Texas Tech University (TTU) will investigate soft and multi-phase materials, most often composed of biomacromolecules or other charged polymers, lipids, and/or surfactants in a carrier fluid. Our goal is to identify the mechanistic basis of performance in these nonequilibrium systems by relating the processing and formulation history of each complex fluid to its multiscale structure and properties. To achieve this, we are interested to advance experimental soft matter characterization approaches towards providing nano-to-microscale, spatiotemporal pictures of molecular assembly and structure-property evolution. Our impact is to enable rationally-designed bioprocessing and formulation strategies that can improve performance, shelf life, and/or manufacturing energy costs. Specific applications classes include pharmaceutical injectables, soft engineered surfaces, designer multiple emulsions, and continuous manufacturing.

We are hiring up to 2 Ph.D. students for Fall 2027! Please apply at: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/che/grad/admissions.php