Rachel Segalman (she/her/hers)

Rachel Segalman

Edward Noble Kramer Professor
Department Chair - NAE
Pronounced: RAY-chel SEE-gahl-man

Contact

(805) 893-3709
3353 and 3333 Engineering II
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5080

Assistant Contact Information: 

Cynthia Rojo
(805) 893-5438
crojo@engineering.ucsb.edu
Engineering II, Room 3353

ChemE Research Areas: 

Honors: 

2022  Elected Fellow of the AIChE
2022  Andreas Acrivos Award for Professional Progress in Chemical Engineering, AIChE
2022  Distinguished Alumni Lectureship, University of Massachusetts
2021  Ernest O. Lawrence Award, D.O.E.
2021  Gaden Lecture, Columbia University
2021  Elected to the National Academy of Engineering
2020  Academy of Distinguished Chemical Engineers, McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas
2019  Elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
2019  NSF Special Creativity Award
2018  Lindsay Lecture, Texas A&M University
2018  Smith Lecture, UC Davis
2018-2021  Elected Board of Directors, Materials Research Society
2017  Covestro Lecture, University of Akron College of Polymer Science and Engineering
2016  Blue-Green Lecture, University of Michigan and Michigan State University
2016  Cornelius Ping Lecture, University of Southern California
2016  Elected Fellow of the American Physical Society
2016  Elected Senior Member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers
2015  Journal of Polymer Science Innovation Award
2015  Centennial Lecture, University of Texas at Austin 2013 Invited Speaker on Energy Technologies, National Academies of Engineering: Frontiers of Engineering Symposium
2012  John H. Dillon Medal of the American Physical Society
2012  Vaughn Lectureship at CalTech
2011  Thiele Lectureship at Notre Dame
2010  Camille Dreyfus Teacher Scholar
2009  Hendrick C. Van Ness Lectureship, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
2009  Alfred P. Sloan Fellow
2008  Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering (PECASE)
2008  Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Materials Science Division's Young Scientist of the Year Award
2007  Mohr-Davidow Ventures Innovators Award
2007  MIT Technology Review's Top 35 Innovators under 35 years old (TR35)
2006-2008  3M Untenured Faculty Award
2007  Hellman Family Young Faculty Award
2005  National Science Foundation CAREER Award
2004  Intel Young Faculty Award
2003  Chateaubriand Fellowship
2001  Corning Foundation Fellowship
2001  MRS Graduate Student Award Finalist
1998  National Science Foundation Fellowship

 

 

Research Description: 

Structure control over soft matter on a molecular through nanoscopic lengthscale is a vital tool to optimizing properties for applications ranging from energy (solar and thermal) to biomaterials. For example, while molecular structure affects the electronic properties of semiconducting polymers, the crystal and grain structure greatly affect bulk conductivity, and nanometer lengthscale pattern of internal interfaces is vital to charge separation and recombination in photovoltaic and light emission effects. Similarly, biological materials gain functionality from structures ranging from monomeric sequence through chain shape through self-assembly. We work to both understand the effects of structure on properties and gain pattern control in these inherently multidimensional problems. We are particularly interested in materials for energy applications such as photovoltaics, fuel cells, and thermoelectrics.

Education: 

BS: University of Texas at Austin (1998)
PhD: University of California, Santa Barbara (2002)

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