As bacteria grow in three dimensions, their colonies consistently form fascinating rough shapes resembling a branching head of broccoli, much more intricate than forms typically seen in a flat dish.
Pierre-Thomas Brun, an expert in soft-matter engineering, has been awarded the Early Career Award for Soft Matter Research from the American Physical Society, which goes to one recipient each year for contributions to soft matter research.
Debenedetti will receive the award from the American Physical Society “for seminal contributions to the science of supercooled liquids and glasses, water, and aqueous solutions, through ground-breaking simulations.”
The award recognizes “accomplishments and innovations of unusual merit in the field of basic or applied polymer science by younger scientists.” Priestley is known for his work characterizing polymers and soft matter, particularly thin films, colloids and nanocomposites.
Nelson, Princeton’s Wilke Family Professor in Bioengineering and a professor of chemical and biological engineering, is one of the eight recipients of the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award. Established in 2004, the Pioneer Award challenges investigators to pursue new research directions and develop groundbreaking, high-impact approaches to a broad area of biomedical, behavioral or social science.