Ivan I. Smalyukh

Research Smalyukh's scientific interests span various aspects of soft condensed matter and optical physics. This includes the study of laser trapping and imaging techniques, molecular and colloidal self-assembly, and the fundamental properties of materials such as liquid crystals, polymers, and nano-structured substances. Among many of Smalyukh's research interests is the energy efficiency of windows and building envelopes overall. Additionally, the photonic and electro-optic applications of these materials are his group's research interests.

As something that he is widely known for, Smalyukh has studied vortex knots and solitons and knots in liquid crystals, contributing to new methods to form microscopic knots in physical fields.

Smalyukh used cellulose nanofibres to develop a transparent and highly thermally insulating aerogel. This work was published in Nature Energy due to the material's potential to enhance the heat lost through windows. Biography Smalyukh began his academic journey at Lviv Polytechnic National University in Ukraine, where he completed his Bachelor's and Master of Science degrees in 1994 and 1995, respectively. Furthering his education, he obtained his PhD in Chemical Physics from Kent State University in 2003.

Throughout his career, Smalyukh has received many awards, including such as the Early Career Award for Soft Matter Research of the American Physical Society in 2016, American Physical Society (APS), and SPIE.