Soft Matter as research focus
Professor Dullens’ research group, which operates at the interface of chemistry, physics, and materials science, studies soft matter systems with a particular focus on colloidal suspensions. They combine colloids with microscopy and optical manipulation techniques to address a wide range of fundamental questions in condensed matter science. Examples of such question include ‘how does a crystal melt into in liquid?’, ‘how do defects in crystals move?’ and ‘how does friction emerge at the particle scale?
With this Award, Dullens will be able to visit various research groups and institutes throughout Germany with the aim of establishing new collaborations and conducting joint research projects. The primary host during the research stay(s) will be the group of Professor Horbach at the Heinrich-Heine University in Düsseldorf.
Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation annually grants approximately 20 Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Awards to internationally prominent academics from abroad, acknowledging their outstanding research contributions. Award winners are also invited to conduct a research project of their choice at a research institution in Germany in cooperation with specialist colleagues there. The award is named after the esteemed German astronomer and mathematician Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel (1784–1846), the award is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.