2023 William P. Slichter Award

The group is recognized for partnering with industry to develop and apply the rheo-Raman microscope, a novel instrument that simultaneously measures the mechanical properties, structure, and chemical composition of soft matter during flow and deformation. Conceived by the team and developed in close collaboration with a leading analytical instrument vendor, the device provides a compelling utility that was adopted by other top instrument manufacturers. The instrument has been demonstrated with a constellation of other industrial partners in sectors ranging from pharmaceuticals to commodity plastics. Through these collaborations, the team discovered key structure-property relationships that advanced polymer manufacturing.