A new European network for research and training in the filed of soft matter physics,   COMPLOIDS  was created by an international group of scientists and is coordinated by Christos Likos, a Greek professor of physics at the University of Vienna.

The network’s focus is on colloids, various soft and non-solid materials that are either naturally occurring or man-made. Examples range from shaving foam to mayonnaise and liquid paint; despite their perceived differences, all three substances are strikingly similar and differ only in terms of molecular organization.

Nowadays, the field of soft matter physics is becoming increasingly important to scientists around the world. COMPLOIDS” main purpose is to coordinate the relevant theoretical and research programs in EU countries, while simultaneously training students and young researchers. One of the scientists” main aims is to eventually create colloids that will assemble themselves into a desired structure- for example, a membrane or a symmetrical crystal.

The network will enable specialists in soft matter physics from universities and research organizations in six EU countries- UK,  Austria, Germany, Italy, Greece and Slovenia- to unite their efforts, with the support from researchers on the other side of the Atlantic. Associate partners include the Universities of Pennsylvania, Princeton, New York and others.

WHO IS WHO

Christos Likos was born in Athens in 1966. He began his studies at the National Technical University of Greece and then completed a doctorate in physics at the U.S. Cornell University. Between 2008 and 2009 he was president of the Physics Department at Dusseldorf University, while presently he is a professor in physics at the University of Vienna. Among other things, he is a member of the editorial council of  “Molecular Physics” journal.