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  • Feb
    7

    Leroy Jia: Axisymmetric membranes with edges under external force: buckling, minimal surfaces, and tethers

    McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

    4:00 PM

    EVENT DETAILS

    Title: Axisymmetric membranes with edges under external force: buckling, minimal surfaces, and tethers

    Speaker: Leroy Jia, Flatiron Research Fellow at Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute

    Abstract: A timeless problem in the theory of fluid interfaces is to show that an area-minimizing soap film connecting two symmetric rings forms a catenoid. Inspired by the exotic phase transitions of colloidal membranes studied at the Sharma (IISc Bangalore) and Dogic (UCSB) Labs, we use theory and numerical computation to determine the shape of an axisymmetric fluid membrane with fixed area and bending resistance that is suspended in this classic geometry. This simple problem turns out to be surprisingly rich: various iconic shapes such as catenoids, thin tethers, and elastica-like buckled surfaces can appear as different limits of this system depending on the area and extension. A perturbation theory argument directly relates the tensions of catenoidal membranes to the stability properties of catenoidal soap films. We also investigate the effects of including a Gaussian curvature modulus, which, for small enough membranes, causes the axial force to diverge as the ring separation approaches its maximal value.

    **Please note, this event will be held online via Zoom at the following link: https://northwestern.zoom.us/j/95506901758.

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    TIME Monday, February 7, 2022 at 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

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    CONTACT Ted Shaeffer    ted.shaeffer@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

  • Jun
    14

    Spring 2026 Commencement

    University Academic Calendar

    All Day

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Sunday, June 14, 2026

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    CONTACT Office of the Registrar    nu-registrar@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR University Academic Calendar

  • Jun
    15

    Northwestern Engineering PhD Hooding and Master's Degree Recognition Ceremony

    McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

    9:00 AM

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Monday, June 15, 2026 at 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

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    CONTACT Andi Joppie    andi.joppie@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

  • Jun
    15

    Northwestern Engineering Undergraduate Convocation

    McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

    2:00 PM

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Monday, June 15, 2026 at 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

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    CONTACT Andi Joppie    andi.joppie@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

  • Jun
    19

    Juneteenth - University Closed

    University Academic Calendar

    All Day

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Friday, June 19, 2026

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    CONTACT Office of the Registrar    nu-registrar@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR University Academic Calendar

  • Jul
    3

    Independence Day (observed) - University Closed

    University Academic Calendar

    All Day

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Friday, July 3, 2026

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    CONTACT Office of the Registrar    nu-registrar@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR University Academic Calendar

  • Sep
    23

    Fall 2026 Classes Begin

    University Academic Calendar

    All Day

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Wednesday, September 23, 2026

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    CONTACT Office of the Registrar    nu-registrar@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR University Academic Calendar