Geoff Willmott’s Research Pages
Nano- and microfluidics is a field with rich potential for applications in medicine, sensing, biotechnology and industry. My research involves the application of physics to fundamental and practical problems, through both theory and experiments. I have a general interest in nanofluidic transport – the motion of liquids (and particles within them) on very small scales. More specifically, I have worked extensively on tunable resistive pulse sensing, a nanofluidic technology commercialized by Christchurch-based Izon Science. I have studied non-wetting systems involving interfacial slip, superhydrophobicity and capillary tubes. I hope to develop projects using new nanofluidic tools to study ‘soft’ nanomechanics.
We have a high-speed camera, which we will use to study dynamic microfluidics (among other things). There is a YouTube channel with some videos.
Click through on the images for info available at the moment.
Dynamic Microfluidics and High Speed Photography
Wetting, Capillarity and Superhydrophobics
Nanofluidics: Pores and Particles
Novel Emergent Properties of Condensed Matter
Media
Our Changing World (Radio NZ, 19 July 2012): Nanofluidics and Water Repellent Surfaces
The Nation (TV3, June 2012): Profile on the MacDiarmid Institute at about 6 min 30 s in. Part 2 of the same report here includes Izon Science.
Hutt News (September 2011): Rugby and Science a Crucial Mix
Dominion Post (October 2012): Press Release on Marsden Fund
Funding
My work is presently supported by the Marsden Fund, the MacDiarmid Institute (one of NZ’s Centres of Research Excellence) and a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship. A large proportion of work prior to October 2013 was enabled by MBIE funding (Fast Fluidic Microanalysis NERF grant).
About Me
See my profile. I grew up just down the road from the University in Mt Eden and attended local schools. I have previously worked at the following places:
- Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge, UK thanks to a Girdlers’ Scholarship.
- The shock physics team at the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge.
- The Nano and Micro Fluidics team at Industrial Research Limited (IRL, now Callaghan Innovation) in Lower Hutt, thanks to a FRST Postdoctoral Fellowship (now discontinued).
- The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology.
Along the way I have picked up work experience as an apprentice fitter-welder in a quarry, and at management consultancies in Auckland and London. I have various interests outside of work, especially in the sporting arena, and I am an active club rugby referee at premier level.
Some Links
The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology
Rutherford Discovery Fellowships
Fluidics Movies and Images:
Thoroddsen High-Speed Fluids Imaging Lab, KAUST (Saudi Arabia)
APS Physics Division of Fluid Dynamics
Some Relevant Tweeters:
@GeoffWillmott “Sport, science and everything in between”
@TheNanoporeSite “a central information platform for nanopore researchers, enabling research efforts to be integrated across a variety of disciplines”