Vikki Varma profile picture
Vikki
Varma
Postdoctoral Researcher, Materials Engineering
PhD
Soft matter modeling in computational materials engineering.

Areas of expertise

My area of expertise includes various approaches to studying soft matter systems
such as discrete particle-based methods like Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics
as well as continuum approaches like density functional theory and field-theoretic simulations. My research interests span topics such as phase transitions
controlled phase separation in inhomogeneous fluid materials
soft matter modeling through self-assembly
and the effects of dynamics on the physical properties of microscopic systems.

Biography

I have joined the Materials Engineering Unit at the University of Turku as a postdoctoral researcher, working under the supervision of Prof. Alberto Scacchi. I completed my Ph.D. in Physics at IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India, focusing on the dynamics and self-assembly of spheroidal colloids. Prior to that, I earned an M.Sc. in Physics from BHU Varanasi, India, specializing in condensed matter physics, with a strong interest in nanoscience and technology.

Research

My current project focuses on studying phase separation in inhomogeneous fluids, which can provide an effective method for segregating pollutants from the fluid at a large scale. This research is being conducted using continuum approaches, such as density functional theory, which facilitate quick approximations for parameterizing the system. Additionally, the development of computational tools and packages that are less time-consuming and more energy-efficient for studying such systems is also part of the work. We further validate our models by applying more robust and sophisticated methods, such as dissipative partical dynamics, before conducting experiments with our collaborators.