Professor Ranga Narayanan

IAS Fellow at Trevelyan College, Durham University (January – March 2017)

Ranga Narayanan is a Distinguished Professor and Distinguished Teacher-Scholar at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. His research is in the area of pattern formation. This field has applications ranging from earth science, to the making of materials in outer space and on earth, to biomedical science and even to cell biology. As an engineer, Professor Narayanan is concerned with science questions as to how length and time scales compete to form patterns and what fundamental connections can be made between the various physical situations that generate patterns. Applications of his research include ways to “tune” patterns to create better and useful products such as better drug delivery systems and better semiconductor and energy efficient devices. As a result of his work he now directs a major National Science Foundation research training “center” grant in the field of patterns in fluids and interfacial science that has affected over 35 doctoral students in the College of Engineering. In addition to research, this project seeks to internationalize graduate education.

Professor Narayanan has also directed two major outer space experiments, designed to confirm theories on the effect of microgravity on crystal quality. These widely publicized space flight experiments were conducted in 1996 and 1997. This research has led to a new and clear interpretation of fluid dynamical patterns seen during convection and the transition of such patterns to near chaos. He continues work on microgravity pattern formation with two prospective experiments on the International Space Station, in collaboration with the Japanese and European Space Agencies.