Gallery of Soft Matter 2025

Highlighting the Work of Soft Matter Researchers

The Gallery of Soft Matter Physics is a pilot poster and video competition at the APS March Meeting that showcases the elegance and aesthetics of soft matter and highlights the work of the soft matter community to fellow researchers and the general public.

Video Winners:

Light-induced phase separation with finite wavelength selection in photophobic micro-algae Video by Isabelle Eisenmann, University of Amsterdam

Flowing soft solids Video by Jonghyun Hwang, Princeton University

Drying of a soft fibers suspension Video by Manon L'Estimé, LadHyX- École Polytechnique

Poster winners

Dynamic finger instabilities in active matter systems | Makayla Baker (University of San Diego)

Dynamic finger instabilities in active matter systems

Poster by Makayla Baker, University of San Diego, makaylabaker@sandiego.edu

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Growth-induced wrinkling in unconstrained biomimetic

Growth-induced wrinkling in unconstrained biomimetic "leaves"

Poster by Ido Levin Gal, University of Washington, idolevin@uw.edu

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People's Choice Award winners

Dynamic finger instabilities in active matter systems | Makayla Baker (University of San Diego)

Dynamic finger instabilities in active matter systems

Poster by Makayla Baker, University of San Diego, makaylabaker@sandiego.edu

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Deformable droplet dynamics in porous media Video by David Meer, Emory University

All video submissions

    All poster submissions

    Viscous Fingering Patterns in Active Suspensions of Swimming Nematodes | Makayla Baker (University of San Diego)

    Viscous Fingering Patterns in Active Suspensions of Swimming Nematodes

    Makayla Baker (University of San Diego)

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    Wrinkling Instability Induced by Geometrical Frustration | Ido Levin Gal (University of Washington, idolevin@uw.edu)

    Wrinkling Instability Induced by Geometrical Frustration

    Ido Levin Gal (University of Washington, idolevin@uw.edu)

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    Random wear shapes all tips alike | John Sebastian, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), johnseb@dtu.dk

    Random wear shapes all tips alike

    John Sebastian, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), johnseb@dtu.dk

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    Decoding Deformations in Ultra-Soft Materials | Jennifer Quigley (University of Massachusetts Amherst, jquigley@umass.edu)

    Decoding Deformations in Ultra-Soft Materials

    Jennifer Quigley (University of Massachusetts Amherst, jquigley@umass.edu)

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    Exploding drops on lubricated surfaces | Fauzia Wardani, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), fauzia.fahri@kaust.edu.sa

    Exploding drops on lubricated surfaces

    Fauzia Wardani, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), fauzia.fahri@kaust.edu.sa

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    A geometric cluster-flock of robots | Mathias Casiulis (New York University, mc9287@nyu.edu)

    A geometric cluster-flock of robots

    Mathias Casiulis (New York University, mc9287@nyu.edu)

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    Trapping Bacteria in Porous Coatings | Alexia Beale, University of Surrey, alexia2.beale@btinternet.com

    Trapping Bacteria in Porous Coatings

    Alexia Beale, University of Surrey, alexia2.beale@btinternet.com

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    Physical confinement selectively regulates bacterial growth based on cell shape | Sreepadmanabh M, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, sreepadmanabh@ncbs.res.in

    Physical confinement selectively regulates bacterial growth based on cell shape

    Sreepadmanabh M, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, sreepadmanabh@ncbs.res.in

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    Zoom and Shape NFCs | Guanyi Chen; Sophie Fields; Lubna Tunusi; James King (University of Leeds), cm19gc@leeds.ac.uk; sdsf@leeds.ac.uk; pylt@leeds.ac.uk; mmjki@leeds.ac.uk

    Zoom and Shape NFCs

    Guanyi Chen; Sophie Fields; Lubna Tunusi; James King (University of Leeds), cm19gc@leeds.ac.uk; sdsf@leeds.ac.uk; pylt@leeds.ac.uk; mmjki@leeds.ac.uk

    View Poster