Liquid crystal display research is just one facet of an ever-expanding field of liquid crystal science. Faculty mem-bers, researchers and students at the Liquid Crystal Institute are engaging in research that stretches the boundaries of various scientific disciplines including

Application and Financial AssistanceStudents who have received an undergraduate degree in physics,

chemistry, engineering or mathematics are eligible for admission. Application information is available at:

http://www.kent.edu/CAS/CPIP/apply.cfmCPIP Contact: Lynn Fagan: (330) 672-2654, lfagan@kent.edu

Discover the Possibilities

The Graduate Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program (CPIP) at the Liquid Crystal Institute is consistently provid-ing some of the brightest doctoral students with the education and experience they need to be successful in this new, exciting field. Some CPIP Ph.D. graduates have gone on to become professors at leading academic institutions, entrepreneurs in new technology businesses and research scientists at some of

physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology. LCI research groups are currently conducting research on electro-optics devices, negative-index materials, liquid crystal beam steering and biological sensors, nanotechnology, soft-condensed mat-ter theory and simulations, just to name a few. Faculty and students have numerous opportunities to publish and present their research and patent new technologies that lead to some of today’s most exciting discoveries and inventions.

Why choose CPIP at LCI?Kent State University’s Glenn H. Brown Liquid Crystal Institute will continue to lead the way in academic research of liquid crystals, as it has for the past 40 years.

the most well-known research centers in the world. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the program, CPIP students get one of the most well-rounded edu-cation and research experiences around. If you’re looking for an education and experience that will position you as

a leader in the exciting field of liquid crystals and materials sciences, consider applying for the Chemical Physics In-terdisciplinary Program at Kent State University.

CPIP Faculty Focuses and Interests D.W. Allender: Landau theories, lyotropic liquid crystals, bi-axial nematics, director modelling, lipid membranesP.J. Bos: applications of liquid crystals, modeling of electro-op-tics of liquid crystals, surface alignmentL.C. Chien: optical compensation films, liquid crystal align-ment, liquid crystal/polymer composites, elastomers, electro-opti-cal devicesE.C. Gartland: numerical modeling, applied mathematics, liq-uid crystals theory and computation, orientational structures and stability of phases of liquid crystals, defects and singularitiesA. Jakli: ferroelectricity, piezoelectricity, electro-optics, dielectric properties, structured fluids, soft materials, thermotropic and lyo-tropic liquid crystalsT. Hegmann: Nanomaterials, nanoparticles, liquid crystals, doping, nanparticle-suspensions and composites, optical and elec-tro-optical effects, drug delivery, self-assemblyC. Kim: colloids, emulsions, foams, rheology, microrheology, cell and bio mechanics, cell rheology, complex fluid, dynamics of poly-mer, lipids, membranes, and monolayerS. Kumar: biaxial LCs, bent-core, lyotropic, and elastomer LCs, LC alignment, high-resolution x-ray and neutron scattering, elec-tro-optical applications of LCs, LC biomaterials, and nanoscale structuresO.D. Lavrentovich: Electrooptical effects, topological defects, three dimensional imaging, lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals, colloids, biosensors, nanostructured metamaterials, electrophoresis and dielectrophoresisP. Palffy-Muhoray: Lasing and photonics in liquid crystals, negative index materials, liquid crystal elastomers, pattern forma-tion and materials failureJ.V. Selinger: theory of thermotropic and lyotropic liquid crys-tals, polymers, elastomers, nanoparticle suspensions, self-assembled lipid microstructures, and related biological materials R.L.B. Selinger: Soft condensed matter theory and simulation; simulation studies of fracture and plasticity of solidsQ.H. Wei: Nanobioscience, nanophotonics, micro/nanofluidics, nanophononics, biophysics, soft condensed matter physics, materi-als with novel structures/properties and micro/nanofabricationD.K. Yang: Electro-optics of liquid crystal, liquid crystal/poly-mer composites, cholesteric and blue phases, liquid crystal dis-playsH. Yokoyama: Nanotechnology, liquid crystals, surface and colloid science, organic thin films and scanning probe technology

CPIP faculty and associate members have active research programs supported by the NSF, AFOSR, NASA, DARPA, State of Ohio, U.S. and international industrial partners providing research op-portunities for students to carry out both basic and applied re-search.

The Glenn H. Brown

WWW.LCINET.KENT.EDU

Discover the Graduate

Chemical Physics

Interdisciplinary Programat the

Liquid Crystal

Institute®

Wilder is a fifth-year doctoral student in CPIP and a graduate research assistant in Professor Antal Jákli’s group. He joined the program after obtaining his B.S. Degree in Physics from the University of Carabobo in Venezuela. He currently has multiple papers published in scientific jour-nals, a conductive polymer patent and is writing a chapter for a textbook as a coauthor. His research interests are the application of bent-core liquid crystal molecules and sur-face interaction of liquid crystals for biological sensors. He recommends the CPIP because it provides the oppor-tunity to gain forefront knowledge of liquid crystal sci-ence; obtain hands-on experience in cutting edge technol-ogy; and participate in studies that develop new products.

WilderIglesias

Valerie is a second-year doctoral student in CPIP and a grad-uate research assistant in Professor Phil Bos’ group. She re-ceived a fellowship from the National Science Foundation’s IGERT program for integrated graduate education and re-search. Her current research is focused on tunable liquid crystalline optical components for portable sensors. Valerie earned her undergraduate degree in Physics from Allegheny College and her Master’s degree in Education from Drexel University. She also spent a year working at a laser optics company in Pennsylvania. She decided to enroll in CPIP to take her education and experience to the next level. She feels that CPIP is a great place to combine her love of op-tics with her love of liquid crystals in a specialized program of study. Valerie’s plans after graduation involve finding a research-based position at a government lab or in industry.

Valerie Finnemeyer

Rafael is a fifth-year doctoral student and a research as-sistant in Professor Deng-Ke Yang’s group. After finishing his Bachelor and Master programs at Maringa Univer-sity (UEM) in Brazil where he started in the field of liq-uid crystals, he joined CPIP. “Joining CPIP is a natural step for any student seeking a high level education and cutting-edge technology in the field of liquid crystals and condensed matter”. Currently, he works with cholesteric liquid crystals focusing on display design, surface effects and pattern formation. He feels the CPIP’s curriculum pro-vides strong interdisciplinary educational and skill build-ing, from advanced facilities to the worldwide recognized faculty members. Rafael wants to stay in academics after graduation, continuing research projects started at the CPIP.

Rafael Zola

Meet a few Kent State University

CPIP Students

Doctoral and Masters Degree stu-dents choose from a variety of con-centrations within the program, including: Optoelectronics (liq-uid crystal displays and applica-tions), Physical properties of liquid crystals, Synthesis and molecular design, Lyotropic liquid crystals and membranes, and General Chemical Physics. Students partic-ipate in basic and applied research conducted by program faculty at the Liquid Crystal Institute.

At the “Winning the Future” forum in Cleveland, President Barack Obama highly praised liquid crys-tal technologies developed at Kent State University’s Liquid Crystal Institute and their spin-off companies.http://www.kent.edu/research/newsdetail.cfm?newsitem=5496a0cf-

070e-3ba3-b100d7991d529cc8

The great thing about being a CPIP student is that you have the opportunity to gain experience in not only theoretical and experi-mental physics, but also chemical synthesis and device applications - all in the relatively short time it takes to earn your doctoral degree.” -- Dr. Chris Bailey, CPIP doctoral graduate