SoftComp

SoftComp/EUSMI Annual Meeting 2025
2025-05-19 13:00 - 2025-05-22 14:00 (Europe/Berlin) | Univ. Ca’ Foscari, Via Torino 155, Venice-Mestre, Venice, Italy
We are excited to announce the SoftComp/EUSMI Annual Meeting 2025, a premier forum for SoftComp participants to engage, discuss, and collaborate on cutting-edge scientific research and joint future goals.
Event Details:
📍 Location: The Annual Meeting will be held at the premisis of Univ. Ca’ Foscari in Venice-Mestre, Italy.
📅 Dates: May 19–22, 2025
⏳ Duration: The meeting consists of three full days from Monday May 19 (lunch time) through Thursday May 22 (lunch time), 2025.
This year, the Annual Meeting will cover all the classic topics in Soft Matter while placing a special focus on the applications of AI and Machine Learning in Soft Matter.
Confirmed Plenary Speakers:
• Wilson Poon, University of Edinburgh
• Christos Likos, University of Vienna
• Stefano Sacanna, New York University
• Nicholas Vogel, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität
• Michael M. Lerch, University of Groningen
Confirmed Invited Speakers:
• Laura Filion, University of Utrecht
Oral Sessions:
• Young Scientists Session
• Glasses, Colloids, and Self-Assembly
• Biological Soft Matter
• Polymers and Biopolymers
• Gels and Networks
• New Methods and Techniques
• Surfaces, Interfaces, and Emulsions
• Synthesis
Poster Session:
• Two dedicated Poster Sessions
• Posters will be on display during the whole Annual Meeting
Showcase your research and connect with experts in the field.
Meeting Chairs:
• Achille Giacometti, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
• Alfons van Blaaderen, University of Utrecht
More details, including registration and abstract submission deadlines, are available at https://eu-softcomp.net/news/meetings/annual-meeting-2025.
Save the dates!
We look forward to seeing you in Venice!

Advanced PhD School "NAnoPhotOLI2025" – Naples – May 2025
2025-05-26 - 2025-05-30 | Napoli, Italy, Congress Center of the University of Napoli Federico II, via Partenope 36, Napoli, Italy
Dear colleagues,
we are pleased to announce the Advanced School for PhD students “Nano-photodevices for bacterial detection and treatment – NAnoPhotOLI2025” which will take place next May 2025 in Naples, that is organized by Departments of Chemical Sciences (DSC) and Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering (DICMaPI) of the University of Naples Federico II, in collaboration with CSGI consortium and the Innovation Ecosystem “Rome Technopole”, that granted the project.
The NAnoPhotOLI2025 school is addressed to PhD students working in the scientific fields of Biotechnology, Chemistry, Physics, Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Materials Sciences and Nanotechnology at National and European Universities.
It will be divided in two sessions, which will take place in May 2025.
• The first session will be from 5th to 16th May, with introductory lessons on the fundamentals of the main topics, which will be held by our teachers of the University of Naples Federico II.
• The second session will take place from 26th to 30th May in Naples at the Accademia delle Scienze Fisiche e Matematiche di Napoli, via Mezzocannone 8, with colleagues of National and International Universities and Research Centers operating in the topic fields.
The participation to the Advanced School will be limited to 30 students and will be completely free.
To apply, it will be mandatory to submit a motivational letter, countersigned by the Supervisor of the PhD thesis project, together with an Abstract by March 31th, 2025.
The deadline for the final registration is: April 11th 2025
For more details, please visit: https://www.nanophotoli2025.it
Should you have any questions or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us at nanophotoli2025@gmail.com.
Prof. Luigi Paduano and Prof. Giuseppe Vitiello
on behalf of the Organizing Committee of NAnoPhotOLI2025

Biophysics of Airborne infection
2025-06-04 - 2025-06-06 | Institut de Botanique, Montpellier, France
he BAI workshop stands out by bringing internationally renowned speakers, experts in very diverse fields from Virology, Soft Matter, MicroBiology, Physics and Fluid Mechanics:Mohsen Bagheri, (Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Germany)Lydia Bourouiba (MIT, USA)Lisa Chakrabarti (PAsteur Institute, France)Rachel Edgar (Imperial College London, UK)Hanneke Gelderblom (Eindhoven University of Technology, The NetherlandsJérôme Legoff (Hopital Saint Louis, Paris, France)Sébastien Lyonnais (CEMIPAI, CNRS-Université Montpellier, France)Peter V. Nielsen (Aalborg University, Denmark)Wilson Poon (University of Edinburgh, UK)Julia Port (Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung, Germany)Jonathan Reid (University of Bristol, UK)Blake Warner (NIH, USA)

The presentations will explore the entire transmission chain of respiratory pathogens between hosts from emission to infection. BAI workshop will be a unique opportunity to discuss, share knowledge, and connect insights across disciplines, advancing research on the link between pathogens infectivity and the physicochemical conditions of their journey through the air.The workshop will also include a proper social event, a Gala diner, and a long wine and cheese poster session to foster exchange between the participants. Please do not hesitate to contact the organisation committee should you need further information.

Post-Doc Position in Singapore: Research Fellow in Soft Materials Science (Structural Characterisation of Protein-based Food Textures)
2025-06-09 08:00 - 2025-11-01 17:00 (Europe/Berlin)
Dear Soft Matter Community,
please find here below an announcement for a postdoctoral researcher (Research Fellow) to join the team at TUMCREATE in Singapore.
The focus will be on the structural characterisation of protein-based food texture as part of the Proteins4Singapore project. Experience with scattering techniques (e.g., SAXS, SANS) or imaging methods (e.g., confocal microscopy, AFM, X-ray tomography) would be particularly valuable.
This position sits at the interface of soft matter, food physics, and materials science, and is based at the unique CREATE campus at the National University of Singapore, where TUM is co-located with institutions such as MIT, ETH Zurich, Imperial College, University of Cambridge, UC Berkeley, University of Illinois, and Hebrew University, among others.
More info on: https://jobrxiv.org/job/tumcreate-27778-research-fellow-in-soft-materials-science-2/.
Please do not hesitate to contact Stefan Guldin (stefan.guldin@tum-create.edu.sg) for any information and to forwarding this to potentially interested candidates.

Higgs School on Advances in Computational Active Matter
2025-06-29 09:00 - 2025-07-04 17:00 (Europe/London) | University of Edinburgh
Active matter has emerged as a field with strong ties to non-equilibrium soft condensed matter and biological physics. Successes of the field include describing the dynamics of motile microbes and flocks of birds, defect self-propulsion in liquid crystals, wound healing and tissue fluidization, modeling of colony growth, and much more. The development of this field owes much to computational techniques. We have therefore put together a school that will introduce early-career researchers to the topic of computational methods for active matter.
Topics Covered
We will provide lectures on 10 topics within computational active matter, each consisting of two 90 minutes sessions, spread over five days. This includes:

Active-Brownian and Run-and-Tumble Particles
Cellular-Potts and Vertex Models for Tissues
Phase-Field Approaches for Pattern-Forming Active Systems
Hydrodynamic Methods for Active Systems, including Lattice Boltzmann, Multi-Particle Collision Dynamics, and Stokesian Dynamics
Squirmer models and immersed boundary conditions
Phoretic Interaction in Chemical Swimmers

The school is concluded with a lecture on the future of active matter systems and will have a group dinner.
Lecturers
We have confirmed the following lecturers and speakers:

Dr. Benno Liebchen (Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany)
Dr. Chantal Valeriani (Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain)
Dr. Davide Marenduzzo (University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom)
Dr. Enkeleida Lushi (New Jersey Institute of Technology, United States of America)
Dr. Erika Tsingos (Utrecht University, Netherlands)
Dr. Gwynn Elfring (University of British Columbia, Canada)
Dr. Holger Stark (Technische Universität Berlin, Germany)
Dr. Ignacio Pagonabarraga (University of Barcelona, Spain)
Dr. Rastko Sknepnek (University of Dundee, United Kingdom)
Dr. Timm Krüger (University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom)

For more information please visit the Higgs School web portal.

Summer School on Polymeric Networks for Sustainable Development
2025-07-06 19:00 - 2025-07-12 13:00 (Europe/Berlin) | Capri, Italy
The school is addressed to students and researchers both from industry and academic institutions and is open to all with an interest in the structure and dynamics of reprocessable polymer networks, i.e., polymeric networks other than the permanently crosslinked ones (known as thermosets). The school will focus on networks with dynamic, i.e., temporary crosslinks, that can then be reprocessed and recycled (entangled networks, associating networks, vitrimers, etc.). It aims at covering all aspects of these reprocessable networks (experimental, theoretical and computational) in a lively and open environment.
The school is organized by 3 SoftComp members: Giovanni Ianniruberto (University of Naples, Italy), Evelyne van Ruymbeke (UCL, Belgium) and Dimitris Vlassopoulos (FORTH-Crete, Greece). It is also worth emphasizing that the school will particularly focus on vitrimers, a class of materials that was invented by a SoftComp team (ESPCI).
The confirmed lecturers are:
Quan Chen, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, CINA
Ralph H. Colby, Pennsylvania State University, USA
Emanuela Del Gado, Georgetown University, USA
Filip Duprez, University of Gent, Belgium
Nikos Hadjichristidis, KAUST, Saudi Arabia
Fardin Khabaz, University of Akron, USA
Xiang Li, Hokkaido University, Japan
Mario Minale, Università della Campania, Italy
Tasuku Nakajima, Hokkaido University, Japan
Thomas O’Connor, Carnegie Mellon University, USA
Ralm Ricarte, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Tallahassee, USA
Michael Rubinstein, Duke University, USA
Hiroshi Watanabe, Kyoto University, Japan & Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, China
All speakers are world-leaders in the field.
The expected number of school participants is 50. The registration deadline is 31 January 2025 (subject to
availability of places).
The registration fee is 450€. It covers expenses for lecture notes, coffee + lunch breaks, welcome reception and school dinner.
For more information please check the School web portal.

PhD position on self-assembly dynamics at fluid-fluid interfaces @Wageningen University
2025-09-02 08:00 - 2025-10-02 17:00 (Europe/Berlin)
We have an open PhD position on self-assembly dynamics at fluid-fluid interfaces. Please see the following links for further details:
https://www.wur.nl/en/vacancy/phd-position-in-evaporation-driven-self-assembly-at-fluid-fluid-interfaces.htm
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/637df0f9710645120109b63b/t/68b6c8e804b48618b979c188/1756809448309/vacancy-phd-superassembly.pdf

W3-Professorship in Machine Learning in Physics
2025-12-18 08:00 - 2026-02-16 17:00 (Europe/Berlin)
The professorship is embedded within the Excellence Cluster “Machine Learning: New Perspectives for
Science”, which is now entering its second funding phase. The successful candidate is expected to have an
established research profile in a core area of physics, as well as a strong track record in research questions
related to machine learning and/or artificial intelligence.
Core areas of physics include the structure of condensed matter (description of many-body systems), quantum
physics (characterization of quantum states in many-body systems), and theoretical particle physics. In all of
these areas, methodological development through machine learning is taking place — for example, in predicting
the evolution of complex molecular systems over long timescales, investigating quantum mechanical effects in
information processing within (quantum) neural networks, or in elementary particle physics at high-energy
accelerators.
The aim of the professorship is to closely integrate research at one of the Department of Physics’ research
centers (BioNanoPhysics Center, Center for Quantum Science, or Kepler Center) with ongoing machine
learning research activities in Tübingen. The appointee is expected to be actively involved in the Department
of Physics and in the Excellence Cluster, inter alia by pursuing collaborative research projects at the interface
of machine learning and physics, as well as by committing to organizational and implementation-related tasks
within the Excellence Cluster. Further information about the Excellence Cluster can be found at: http://www.ml-in-science.uni-tuebingen.de/
In terms of teaching, the professorship is expected to offer courses within the Department of Physics and also
contribute to the international Master’s program “Machine Learning” offered by the Department of Computer
Science.
Required qualifications include a PhD or equivalent degree as well as postdoctoral qualifications and teaching
experience equivalent to the requirements of a full professorship.
The University of Tübingen is committed to equity and diversity and actively promotes equal opportunities.
Female academics, in particular, are explicitly invited to apply, as are applicants from outside Germany.
Applications from equally qualified candidates with disabilities will be given preference.
General information on professorships, hiring processes, and the German academic system can be found here:
https://uni-tuebingen.de/en/213700
Please submit your full application through the application site of the University of Tübingen at
https://berufungen.uni-tuebingen.de by 15 February 2026. Questions concerning the call for applications and
the application portal can be directed to the Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Tübingen,
Professor Dr. Thilo Stehle (career@mnf.uni-tuebingen.de).

Tasso Springer Fellowships - Six PhD Positions in Neutron Research
2026-03-18 08:00 - 2026-06-18 17:00 (Europe/Berlin)
Are you interested in performing exciting research with neutrons and working together with scientists from all over the world? The Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) develops and operates high-performance neutron scattering instruments at some of the best neutron sources worldwide. Our main outstation is located at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) in Garching near Munich, where we operate 11 instruments in a user program and for our own research in the fields of “Neutron Scattering and Soft Matter (JCNS-1)”, “Quantum Materials and Collective Phenomena (JCNS-2)” and “Neutron Analytics for Energy Research (JCNS-3)”. JCNS invites applications for the Tasso Springer Fellowship Program, named after the outstanding neutron scientist who in his career was bridging neutron research in Jülich to Garching and Grenoble. The PhD fellowships aim at educating the next generation of researchers in neutron scattering. The successful candidates will be jointly supervised by scientists based at the outstation in Garching and at the JCNS institutes in Jülich.

Flowing droplets: Where Fluid Mechanics and Rheology meet Soft Matter for Industrial applications
2026-04-26 - 2026-04-29 | Napoli, Italy, Congress Center of the University of Napoli Federico II, via Partenope 36, Napoli, Italy
Dear All,
We are delighted to announce that the International Symposium on Flowing Droplets: Where Fluid Mechanics and Rheology meet Soft Matter for Industrial applications will take place in Napoli (Italy) from April 26 to 29, 2026 under the auspices of the Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering of the University of Napoli Federico II. The symposium will address fundamental and applied aspects of droplet flow behavior, with emphasis on deformation, breakup, and coalescence phenomena in both dilute and concentrated systems. Particular attention will be given to the role of hydrodynamic interactions, interfacial properties, and external fields in governing droplet behavior. The symposium will also encompass complex droplet systems, including biological, multiphase, and active droplets, where additional physicochemical and dynamical couplings give rise to novel flow responses. The symposium aims to bring together participants from several disciplines, including physics, chemistry, biology and engineering, who share a common interest in the experimental and theoretical aspects of the flow behavior of droplets and its applications.
Invited speakers so far include Luca Biferale (University of Rome Tor Vergata), Daniel Bonn (University of Amsterdam), Luca Brandt (Politecnico di Torino), Salvatore Coppola (Versalis SpA), Luigi Cristofolini (University of Parma), Roberto Mauri (City University di New York), Glen McHale (University of Edinburgh), Reinhard Miller (Technical University Darmstadt), Matteo Pierno (University of Padova), David Quéré (ESPCI Paris), Alfredo Soldati (TU Wien).
Abstracts are welcome on the following topics:

Droplet deformation, breakup and coalescence under laminar and turbulent flow
Flow and interfacial behavior of surfactant- and particle-covered droplets
Droplets flowing in microgravity
Viscoelastic effects on flowing droplets
Complex, biological and active droplets under flow
Droplets in confined flow
Droplets flowing on surfaces
Emulsions and foams rheology
Industrial applications

Accepted abstracts will be assigned to oral, pitch, or poster presentations.
Venue and general info
The symposim will be held at the Congress Center of the University of Napoli Federico II, which is situated in an elegant waterfront location, offering stunning views of the Gulf of Naples and Capri Island. More information about the workshop can be found at https://sites.google.com/view/flowingdroplets. Please contact us by email (flowingdroplets@gmail.com) if you have any question.
Key dates
Abstract submission deadline (for both oral and poster presentations) February 1, 2026
Notification of acceptance February 15, 2026
Early bird registration deadline March 6, 2026
Final late registration April 4, 2026
Local Committee
Stefano Guido, University of Napoli Federico II (chair)
Giovanna Tomaiuolo, University of Napoli Federico II
Sergio Caserta, University of Napoli Federico II
Valentina Preziosi, University of Napoli Federico II
Sponsorship options
For info about sponsoring events and being a workshop sponsor, please contact the conference chair.
We look forward to your participation.
Warm regards,
Stefano Guido
___________________
Prof. Stefano Guido
Dipartimento di Ingegneria chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale
Università di Napoli “Federico II”
P.le V. Tecchio, 80
80125 Napoli – ITALY
Tel.: +39-081-7682271
Email: steguido@unina.it
www.docenti.unina.it/stefano.guido

Microfluidic Horizons 2026
2026-05-16 - 2026-05-22 | University of Padova, Dipartimento di Fisica via Marzolo 8, Padova, Padova
Dear SoftComp Colleagues,
We are pleased to announce that abstract submission is now officially open for the Microfluidic Horizons 2026 conference, which will take place in Padua (Italy) on 18–22 May 2026.
The conference will convene brilliant experts from physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering to explore the frontiers of microfluidics and its applications across diverse domains. Microfluidic Horizons 2026 will provide a unique platform for researchers to share their latest findings, exchange ideas, and forge collaborations that could catalyze the next wave of innovation in this cross-disciplinary field.
For more information, please visit the conference website: https://www.microfluidics2026.it/
In addition to the conference, we are excited to host a series of pre-conference short courses on May 16 and 17, 2026, tailored for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. These interactive sessions will provide a solid conceptual and practical foundation in microfluidics and its application to the life sciences, enabling participants to actively engage in the conference discussions and gain valuable insights from leading experts.
Details can be found at: https://www.microfluidics2026.it/short-courses/
The preliminary program, which features a distinguished lineup of plenary speakers, is available on the conference website: https://www.microfluidics2026.it/preliminary-agenda/
We invite you to submit abstracts for oral or poster presentations by the deadline of 12 January 2026. Submissions can be made via the conference portal: https://www.microfluidics2026.it/abstract-submission/
We encourage you to share your research with the global microfluidics community, and to please forward this announcement to colleagues who might be interested in attending or contributing to Microfluidic Horizons 2026.
We eagerly look forward to welcoming you to Padua for an unforgettable experience at the forefront of microfluidics research.
Best regards,
The Scientific Board of Microfluidic Horizons 2026
microfluidics2026@dfa.unipd.it
https://www.microfluidics2026.it/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/microfluidic-horizons-2026/

Bombannes summer school on scattering 2026
2026-06-09 17:30 - 2026-06-16 17:30 (Europe/Berlin) | Carcan-Maubuisson (Gironde, France), France
We are pleased to announce the 17th Bombannes Summer School on “Scattering Methods Applied to Soft Condensed Matter”. This event will be held from 9th to 16th June 2026 at the vacation centre “Les Bruyères” in Bombannes/ Carcans-Maubuisson, Gironde, France.

The deadline for pre-registration is the 20th February 2026, with decisions in April. Further information on the school together with on-line pre-registration can be found on our website:
https://workshops.ill.fr/e/bombannes2026
Please distribute this information to colleagues or students who might be interested. You can also download a flyer at the bottom of our webpage.
On behalf of the Organising Committee, best regards,
Julian Oberdisse, Peter Lindner, Orsolya Czakkel

For any queries please contact us via the e-mail bombannes@ill.fr

20th European Student Colloid Conference
2026-06-29 08:00 (Europe/Madrid)
Dear colleagues,
The 20th European Student Colloid Conference (ESC 2026) will take place in Donostia / San Sebastián (Spain) from 29 June to 2 July 2026.
ESC is a conference organized by and for PhD students, offering a supportive space to present research, exchange ideas, and connect with peers. A strong social program will complement the scientific sessions and foster informal discussions and networking.
🗓️ Key dates
• Abstract submission deadline: 2 March 2026
• Registration deadline: 15 May 2026
🎤 The program will feature outstanding plenary speakers:
Ilja Voets (Eindhoven University of Technology)
Carlos L. Bassani (FAU Erlangen–Nürnberg)
Laura Alvarez (University of Bordeaux)
Martin F. Haase (Utrecht University)
Reidar Lund (University of Oslo)
In addition, we have invited dedicated career talks:
Lisa Tran (Utrecht University) will speak about building a research group in academia.
Baptiste Hervé (L’Oréal) will share insights on developing a career in industry.
The scientific program will include oral and poster contributions covering colloids, soft matter, polymers, and bioinspired systems.
👉 More information and abstract submission: https://esc2026.cfm.ehu.es/
We look forward to welcoming you to Donostia.
Best regards,
The ESC 2026 Organizing Team (Paula Malo de Molina, Armando Maestro and Marek Grzelczak)

Polysolvat 16 at JCNS
2026-10-06 12:00 - 2026-10-09 12:00 (Europe/Berlin)
Polysolvat-16 is the latest in a series of successful international conferences held every two years, most recently in Kolkata (India, 2024), Strasbourg (France, 2022), Osaka (Japan, 2021, virtual conference), and Grenoble (France, 2018).
The conference focuses on the formation mechanisms, morphology, molecular structure, and properties of compounds formed between solvent molecules and/or small molecules with synthetic polymers and biopolymers, proteins, and supramolecular polymers (self-organized systems), taking into account both fundamental aspects and the application potential. The bulk state, solutions, and systems formed at surfaces/interfaces will be considered, with a particular emphasis on scattering characterization methods using X-rays and neutrons.
The next edition Polysolvat-16will be organized by JCNS, Forschungszentrum Jülich. We warmly welcome contributions in the following topics:

Structure and morphology
Dynamics and simulations
Gels and aerogels
Scattering techniques and labelling
External fields
Applied systems

The conference will consist of invited lectures, oral presentations, and poster presentations. Visit the conference website to register and submit your abstract, and find out more about the invited speakers.
—
Opening of registration and abstract submission February 23rd, 2026
Deadline for submission of abstracts June 21st, 2026
Registration deadline September 15th, 2026

The workshop will take place from October 6th, noon, to October 9th, noon. The venue is the ideally-located Conference Center of the Evangelische Akademie Tutzing, situated directly on Lake Starnberg in the foothills of the Alps, approximately 40km south of Munich, Germany.
