Paul Lilin

Paul Lilin is a PhD candidate whose research seeks to uncover the governing properties and mechanisms of drying suspensions of colloidal particles, which are found all around us, from coffee and blood to semiconductor coatings and paints. As a MathWorks Fellow, Paul will be using his custom experimental model system, consisting of a millimetric drop deposited on a flat surface, to investigate the dynamics, fracture patterns, and surprising large-scale bending deformation of colloidal suspensions during drying. MATLAB tools and the MathWorks community have played a key role in Paul’s research, enabling him to analyze complex images, produce accurate and detailed visuals, and conduct simulations that challenge current theories. By shedding new light on the mechanisms of crack pattern selection, drying-induced bending and related phenomena, Paul’s research could have a significant impact in the development of next-generation medical diagnostics and in the field of microfabrication more broadly.