2024-2025 KavliHeising-Simons Junior Fellow
Faculty Advisor: Professor David Limmer
Aditya Singh is a 4th-year Chemistry Ph.D. student in the David Limmer group. Aditya received a B.S. in Chemistry and Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he researched on investigating the complexation and coacervation of polyelectrolytes using theoretical and computational methods. In his free time, he enjoys trail running, biking, and exploring mountains across the country.
Aditya’s work focuses on developing theoretical and computational methods to investigate rare reactive events with a specific focus geared toward systems in nonequilibrium steady states. These classes of systems encompass a range of processes relevant to soft matter and biophysics where the equilibrium state of the system is perturbed by nonequilibrium driving in the form of chemomechanical forces or external fields.
In his fellowship, Aditya will work on understanding how nonequilibrium driving in the form of supra-bandgap illumination can be used to synthesize nanocrystal superlattices from nanocrystals. Preliminary results by the Ginsburg group have shown photoinduced driving to enhance the long-range order of nanocrystals, however, inference into the microscopic nature of driving and its effect on the nanoparticles and electrolytes remains elusive due to the low signal-to-noise ratio of the experimental methods and a lack of guiding principles for self-assembly of chemical systems out of equilibrium. Working closely with the Ginsburg group, he plans on applying the methods he has developed in his Ph.D. to illuminate new pathways for synthesizing next-generation optoelectronic devices and elucidate general principles for controlling chemical systems through nonequilibrium driving.