Regular biography
Dr. Zhenwei Yao is an associate professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from Syracuse University and served as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Associate at Northwestern University before joining Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2016. His research interests include topological defects, elasticity and geometry, and electrostatics in soft matters. Dr. Yao is affiliated with the Institute of Theoretical and Interdisciplinary Physics and is based in Room 313, No. 5 Science Building.
Scholar-generated biography
Zhenwei Yao is a researcher in soft matter physics and statistical physics, focusing on the morphology and dynamics of complex systems. His work explores the behavior of nematic and smectic vesicles, crystallization kinetics, and topological defects in spherical and curved geometries. Yao investigates phenomena such as the shrinking instability of toroidal droplets, electrostatics-driven buckling, and the role of density inhomogeneity in defect formation. His research also includes the study of charged particle packings, polydispersity-driven defects, and the equilibrium conformation of noncircular polymer chains. These studies highlight the interplay between geometry, topology, and material properties in soft matter systems.