Some facts (sort of CV)

 

Petia M Vlahovska

 

Education

 

1997-2003  Ph.D. Chemical Engineering

Yale University

Dissertation: “Dynamics of a surfactant-covered drop and the non-Newtonian rheology of emulsions” (zipped ps file)

Advisors: Prof. Michael Loewenberg and Prof. Jerzy Blawzdziewicz

               2001    M.Phil. Mechanical Engineering, Yale University

               1999    M.S. Chemical Engineering, Yale University

1994-96   M.Sc. Post-graduate program in “Separation processes in the industry and environmental protection”

Laboratory of Chemical Physics and Engineering, University of Sofia, Bulgaria

Thesis: “Modeling the drying of solvent coatings on continuous webs”

Advisors: Dr. Richard Aust and Prof. Franz Durst (LSTM, Germany), Prof. Krassimir Danov (U. Sofia)

1989-94   M.Sc. Chemistry  with concentration in chemical physics and theoretical chemistry

University of Sofia, Bulgaria

Thesis: “Diffusion-controlled adsorption kinetics in micellar surfactant solutions”

Advisor: Prof. Krassimir Danov

 

PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS

  

July, 2009-         Adjunct Assistant Professor, Physics Department, Dartmouth College.

July, 2006-         Assistant Professor, Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College.

2005/06              Visiting Scientist, Theory Department, Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Germany

2003/05              Visiting Assistant Professor, Division of Engineering, Brown University.

1996/97             Research Associate, Laboratory of Chemical Physics and Engineering, University of Sofia, Bulgaria.

 

OTHER ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

 

2009         “Soft meets biology”, Soft Condensed Matter Physics Gordon Research Conference

2007        Analytical and Quantitative Microscopy, Marine Biological Lab, Woods Hall 

2002        Boulder Summer School  “Physics of Soft Condensed Matter”.

1995        Visiting student, Theoretical Fluid Mechanics Group, LSTM, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany.

 

AWARDS

 

2008      NSF CAREER

2005      Max-Planck Fellowship, to work with Dr. Rumiana Dimova on vesicle adhesion, Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Germany

2004      David Crighton Fellowship, to work with Prof. Tim Pedley on suspensions of swimming microorganisms, DAMTP, Cambridge, UK.

2002     Prize Teaching Fellowship, Yale University, for outstanding performance and promise as a teacher.

1993     Evrika Foundation scholarship for excellence in natural sciences, Bulgaria.

1991     Department of Chemistry scholarship for outstanding student, University of Sofia, Bulgaria.

 

FUNDING

 

NSF-CAREER 2009-2014 “Dynamics of cells and cellular mimetics in flow and electric fields: an integrated biophysical and engineering approach”

ACS-PRF 2008-2010  “Effect of surfactant on drop electro-hydrodynamics”

 

PUBLISHED PAPERS

 

  • G. Danker, P.M. Vlahovska and  C. Misbah, “Vesicles in Poiseuille flow”,  Phys. Rev. Lett., 102 148102 (2009)
  • P.M. Vlahovska, R. S. Gracia, S. Aranda and R. Dimova,  “Electrohydrodynamic model of vesicle deformation in alternating electric fields “, Biophysical Journal, 96 pp 4789-4803 (2009)
  • R. Dimova, N. Bezlyepkina, M. D. Jordö,  R. L. Knorr, K. A. Riske, M. Staykova, P.M.Vlahovska, T. Yamamoto, P. Yang , and R.Lipowsky “Vesicles in electric fields: some novel aspects of membrane response” (invited review), Soft Matter 5 pp. 3201-3212 (2009)
  • P. M. Vlahovska, J. Blawzdziewicz and M. Loewenberg “Small-deformation theory for a surfactant-covered drop in linear flows”, J. Fluid Mech.  624 pp. 293-337 (2009)
  • P. M. Vlahovska “Dynamics of surfactant-covered drops in linear flows”, PAMM 7 1101601–1101602 (2007)
  • P. M. Vlahovska and  R.S. Gracia “Dynamics of a viscous vesicle in linear flows”, Phys. Rev. E 75 016313 (2007) (pdf)
  • P. M. Vlahovska, J. Blawzdziewicz and M. Loewenberg “Deformation of a surfactant-covered drop in a linear flow”, Phys. Fluids 17, 103103,  (2005) (pdf)
  • P. Vlahovska, J. Blawzdziewicz and M. Loewenberg “Nonlinear rheology of a dilute emulsion of surfactant-covered spherical drops in time-dependent flows”, J Fluid Mech. 463, pp. 1-24 (2002) (pdf)
  • J. Blawzdziewicz, P. Vlahovska and M. Loewenberg, “Rheology of a dilute emulsion of surfactant covered spherical drops” Physica A  276, pp. 50-85 (2000) (pdf)
  • K. Danov, P. M. Vlahovska, P. Kralchevsky, A. Mehreteab and G. Broze, “Adsorption kinetics of ionic surfactants with detailed account for the electrostatic interactions: 2. Effect of the presence of electrolyte”, Colloids Surfaces A  156, pp. 389-411 (1999) (pdf)
  • P. M. Vlahovska, K. Danov, A. Mehreteab and G. Broze, “Adsorption kinetics of ionic surfactants with detailed account for the electrostatic interactions: 1. No added electrolyte”, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 192, pp. 194-206 (1997)  (pdf)
  • K. Danov, P. M. Vlahovska, T. Horozov, P. Kralchevsky, C. Dushkin, A. Mehreteab and G. Broze, “Adsorption in micellar surfactant solutions: nonlinear theory and experiment”, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 183, pp.223-235 (1996) (pdf)

 

SUBMITTED MANUSCRIPTS

 

  • J. Schwalbe, P. M. Vlahovska and M. Miksis “Monolayer slip effects on the dynamics of a lipid bilayer vesicle in a viscous flow”, J. Fluid Mech. 
  • J. Hanna and P. M. Vlahovska “Surfactant-induced migration of a spherical drop in Stokes flow” , arXiv:0905.2999v1 Physics of fluids
  • P. M. Vlahovska, T. Podgorski and C.Misbah “Vesicles and red blood cells: from individual dynamics to rheology”  Comptes Rendus Physique (invited review)
  • P.M. Vlahovska “Note on the electrorheology of a dilute emulsion of slightly deformable drops”, J. Fluid Mech. 

 

MANUSCRIPTS IN PREPARATION

 

  • P. M. Vlahovska, Y. Young, G. Danker, and  C. Misbah, “Complex dynamics of red blood cells in shear flows”
  • P. Salipante, J. Hanna and P. M. Vlahovska “Rotation of a deformable drop an uniform electric field”

 

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

 

Instructor, Dartmouth College

2007,2008                    “Fluid Mechanics” (undergraduate)

2008,2009                    “Cellular and molecular biomechanics” (graduate)

2009                              “Microhydrodynamics” (graduate)

2010                              “Biological Physics” (undergraduate)

2010                             “Heat, mass, and momentum transport” (graduate)

 

Instructor, Brown University

2003                    “Fluid Mechanics” (undergraduate).

2004, 2005           “Fluid Mechanics II” (graduate).

2004                    “Complex fluids” (graduate).

 

Teaching Assistant, Yale University

2002                    “Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations with Applications” (undergraduate).

2000, 2002           “Mathematical Methods I” (graduate).

2000, 2001           “Thermodynamics for Chemical, Mechanical and Environmental Engineers” (undergraduate).

1999                    “Applied Numerical Methods I” (graduate).

1999                    “Introduction to Chemical Engineering: Material and Energy Balances” (undergraduate).

 

Tutor, Yale University

2000-2002            Yale College Math and Science Tutoring Program (undergraduate).

 

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

 

Member: AIChE, APS, SIAM

Reviewer: Physical Reviews, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Biophysical Journal, Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces,

                Chemical Engineering Science, Journal of Applied Physics, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science

Co-organizer:

·         Summer school on “Complex- and Bio- Fluids”, Cargese, France, 2009.  

·         Session “Interfacial flows”, AIChE annual meeting, 2009

·         Mini-symposium on “Biological Cells and Capsules” at the 8th World Congress on Computational Mechanics, 2008

 

COLLABORATIONS

 

Dr. Rumiana Dimova and Dr. Ruben S. Gracia (Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Theory and Bio-systems, Germany) , Prof. Thomas Powers (Division of Engineering, Brown), Prof. Chaouqi Misbah (UJF-Grenoble, France) , Prof. Michael Miksis (Applied Math, Northwestern University), Prof. Yuan-nan Young (Applied Math, NJIT), Prof. George Biros (Georgia Tech)

 

 

INVITED TALKS

 

Oct 2009                      Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland (Baltimore County)

Sept 2009                     MEAM, University of Pennsylvania

July 2009                      Theory and Biosystems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Germany

April 2009                     Brown University, Center for Fluid Mechanics and the Fluids, Thermal and Chemical Processes Group of the Division of Engineering Seminar Series  

Feb 2009                       Northwestern University, ESAM Colloquium

Dec 2008                       IPAM: Cells and Materials: At the Interface between Mathematics, Biology and Engineering - Reunion Conference II

Oct  2008                      Computations in Science Seminar, MRSEC, University of Chicago

April 2008                       Condensed Matter Theory Seminar, Harvard University

Feb 2008                        School of Engineering, University of Vermont

Oct 2007                       ESAM, Northwestern University

Oct 2007                        Condensed Matter Seminar, Physics Dept, Brown University

July 2007                        ICIAM mini-symposium “Influence of surfactant on interfacial flows”, Zurich, Switzerland

May 2007                        Institute Curie, Physical Chemistry Unit, France

March 2007                     Department of Mathematical Sciences, NJIT

July 2006                        Max-Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz, Germany

March 2006                   IPAM-UCLA: Membrane Protein Science and Engineering workshop

March 2005                     Flow Physics and Computation group, Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University

February 2005                 Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College

November 2004                DAMTP, University of Cambridge, UK

April 2003                        Division of Engineering, Brown University

 

PRESENTATIONS

 

Regular presentations at the AIChE Annual Meeting and the APS-Division of Fluid Dynamics meetings.

 

 

ADDITIONAL INTERESTS

 

languages: Bulgarian (native), English, Russian, German; some Italian, Greek and Spanish.

hobbies: opera, ancient history