My current research focuses on the behavior of active nematics confined to the surface of a viscous drop suspended in an external shear flow. This system provides a rich platform to study the coupling between interfacial active stresses and background hydrodynamics.

Specifically, I aim to understand how the drop deforms in response to both the internal active stresses generated by the surface-confined nematic layer and the external shear forces. The presence of topological defects where the nematic orientation is singular plays a crucial role in the system's evolution. I study how these defects emerge, move, interact, and undergo braiding dynamics as the system evolves over time.

Another important direction of this work is to explore how the initial configuration of defects influences the long-time behavior of the system. In future stages of the project, we plan to examine the role of coupled nematic layers inside and outside the drop, and how this affects the morphology and defect dynamics of the interface.

This research sits at the intersection of soft matter physics, fluid dynamics, and geometry, and has potential implications for understanding biological systems and designing synthetic active materials.

Advisor: Dr. Bryan Quaife
Colaborator: Dr. Yuan-Nan Young