Events

This 2-day student-focused event - held August 7-8, 2026, at University of San Diego - gives young researchers opportunities to present their research, network with peers and mentors, and engage in professional development activities to allow them to excel in their future pursuits

Monday Aug 9 - Friday Aug 13 | 4 parallel sessions each featuring 1-2 invited speakers and 2-4 contributed talks will run in the mornings and afternoons. The topics include:

active matter

biological soft matter

colloids and suspensions

fluid dynamics and rheology

glasses, granular matter and jamming

interfaces, surfaces and membranes

liquid crystals

networks and gels

polymers

self-assembly

characterization, analysis and data-driven discovery methods

All participants are encouraged to present their research at the poster sessions that will run on the evenings of Tuesday Aug 10 and Thursday Aug 12.

We will host panels and round tables during lunch times Monday Aug 9 - Thursday Aug 12, with special focus on public engagement, AI and international collaborations.

On Sunday Aug 8, we will host a public outreach event, lecture and welcome reception to build bridges between disparate groups, disciplines, and regions; and engage in scientific storytelling. We will also host a Banquet on Wednesday Aug 11, and coffee breaks Monday-Friday for attendees to network and form collaborations and partnerships.

We will feature plenary lectures from international leaders in the field in the morning and afternoon of Aug 9-13.