Project collaborators

Barry Ninham founded and led a Research Center in 1970 called Applied Mathematics at the Australian National University. It pioneered advances in theory and experiments in molecular forces and self-assembly in biology and colloid science and produced 110 professors. Prof. Emeritus Barry Ninham’s joint works in physical and biological sciences are most familiar in physical chemistry: molecular forces, theory, and experiment; Hofmeister effects and self-assembly of surfactants and lipids in biology. The introduction of non-Euclidean geometries into condensed matter led to a new language of shape for nanostructure. He has shown that the omission of dissolved gas from theory means the foundations are flawed. The foundations of physical chemistry are presently undergoing major revision because of his work on specific ion effects and the neglected role of dissolved gas. Prof. Ninham has more than 40000 citations and an h-index 99. Barry Ninham has more than 50 publications together with Dr. Boström in both fundamental physics and specific ion Hofmeister effects in colloidal interactions.

Dr Persson works at Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm, Sweden) exploring iron compositions for steel casting processes, as well as semiconductor compounds for various technologies. By modeling the material on an atomistic and nano-scale, we describe the electronic, optical, and magnetic properties, the stability of the materials, the impact of defects, dopants, or alloying, and interfaces between materials.  The scientific approaches and algorithms are based on the Kohn-Sham equation within the density-functional theory (DFT). We also use physical models to analyze interactions, kinetics, and thermodynamics. We combine the DFT calculations with Green’s functions, van der Waals-type quantum electrodynamic fluctuation forces, and condensed matter models to describe materials beyond ground-state DFT. He has more than 11000 citations and an h-index 53. He formely employed Dr. Boström in his group. Dr Persson and Dr. Boström together supervised Dr Priyadarshini Thiyam during her PhD in Sweden. He has more than 40 publications with Dr. Boström including one on Casimir torque between anisotropic phosphorene films in Physical Review Letters with Dr Thiyam.  

Born in 1939, he is a professor emeritus at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim.  Has been working within hydrodynamics and with electrodynamics, especially related to the Casimir effect. Sivilingenior of Physics, Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH), Trondheim, 1963. Dr. Techn. at NTH, 1970. Various temporary positions in theoretical physics in the period 1963-1972, including a two years’ stay at NORDITA, Copenhagen, 1966-1968. Lecturer at the Royal Norwegian Air Force Academy, Trondheim, 1972-1988. From 1988, Professor of Mechanics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim. Officially retired from 2009. He has published more than 250 scientific articles, including many written with Dr. Boström. Prof. Brevik was project manager  for the Norweigan FRINATEK project 250346: "Casimir effect and van der Waals forces in multilayer systems". Project Manager Prof. Iver Brevik (NTNU). Co-applicants: Dr. Mathias Boström (UiO+NTNU), Prof. Clas Persson (UiO), Prof. Johan Hoye (NTNU), Prof. Stefan Buhmann (Germany), Prof. Kimball Milton (USA), Prof. Barry W. Ninham (Australia), Dr. Oleksandr I. Malyi (Singapore), Dr. Kristian Berland (UiO), Dr. Prachi Parashar (NTNU), Dr. K. V. Shajesh (USA), Dr. Drew F. Parsons (Australia), Dr. Eduardo Lima (Brazil).  Funded 8,611,000 NOK by Norweigan Research Council.

Dr Carretero-Palacios is a Tenured Scientist at the Institute of Materials Science of Madrid (ICMM), part of the Spanish Research Council (CSIC). Her research focuses on the theory and simulation of photonic structures, with a particular emphasis on materials for optoelectronic applications. Additionally, I explore the manipulation of optical properties to control the Casimir-Lifshitz force. Dr Sol Carretero-Palacios, Ms Victoria Esteso, Dr Mathias Boström, and Prof. Mauro Antezza were in the organizing committee for the mini-colloquia “Casimir Effect and Heat Transfer Advances” in 2020 (and later follow up meetings). This colloquia was part the biennial meetings of the Condensed Matter Divisions of the Spanish Physics Society (RSEF-GEFES) and of the European Physical Society (EPS-CMD). Dr Carretero-Palacios has an impresseve career and, together with her former student Dr Victoria Esteso, published key papers on tuning Casimr forces. She also has a strong collaboration, including 6 joint publications, with Dr Boström. 

Link to personal webpage: https://www.icmm.csic.es/en/carretero-palacios-sol

Dr Shajesh is an academic at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Few can match him when it comes to lecture on electrodynamics and understanding the Casimir effect. His interests revolves around quantum electrodynamics, that is, phenomena involving interactions of light and matter. These processes are best studied using techniques of quantum field theory. In particular, he is interested in the characteristics of a phenomenon that can be captured using non-perturbative methods. He has a very strong collaboration with Prof. Iver Brevik and Dr Boström (5 joint publications).

Dr MacDowell is interested in surface phenomena in soft matter systems, with an emphasis on wetting, capillary waves, ice friction, and ice premelting. He has an h-index=40 and published in high-impact journals (e.g., Nature Physics, Science, and Science Advances). He has one publication together with Dr. Boström.