L. Goehring
Curriculum Vitae
Lucas Goehring
University of Cambridge, BP Institute for Multiphase Flow
Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0EZ, UK
(+44) 01223 334339, lg352@cam.ac.uk
http://www.msm.cam.ac.uk/wjc/Lucas/Home.html
Academic Summary
2008-present: Research Associate, University of Cambridge, BP Institute
for Multiphase Flow. Research Fellow, Wolfson College.
Cracking of Drying Films, EPSRC research project
2003-2008: Ph.D., University of Toronto, Department of Physics.
On the ordering and scaling of columnar joints, ©2008 (Accepted November 2007).
2002-2003: M.Sc., University of Toronto, Department of Physics.
A study of 3D crack patterns and columnar jointing in corn starch. September 2003.
1998-2002: B.Sc. (Hons.), University of British Columbia, Department of
Physics and Astronomy.
Spin diffusion across an organic-semiconductor interface. April 2002.
Exchange year (2000-2001) taken at Glasgow University, Department of Physics.
Awards/Grants
2008-present
2005-2007
2004-2006
2004-2006
2002-2004
2000,1998
1998-2002
Junior Research Fellowship, Wolfson College. Highly competitive
research position, includes personal research support of £600/year.
Sumner Foundation Fellowships, 2 x $6 000. Awarded to up to 40
students each year in the physical sciences, nationally, in Canada.
NSERC postgraduate scholarship, Doctoral, $43 400, provides
independent salary support for the research of promising students.
Rita Catherall Travel/Research bursary, $5 000. Private grant from
charitable institution, to support my field work costs.
NSERC postgraduate scholarship, M.Sc., $35 000, salary support
for research, that can be taken at any Canadian university.
NSERC undergraduate research awards, 2 x $4 000, salary support
to pursue independent summer research projects.
Chancellor’s Entrance Scholarship, UBC, $16 000, eligibility to
apply limited to top 1% of graduating high school class.
Additional awards: Lachlan Gilchrist Fellowship (2006, $3000), Education Abroad
Scholarship (2001, $1350), Canadian armed forces memorial scholarship (1998,
$1000), miscellaneous undergraduate scholarships (total $2550).
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L. Goehring
Curriculum Vitae
Experience
Research Experience
2008-pres.
Postdoctoral research into the physics of drying and fracture in thin
colloidal films, supervised by Drs. Alex Routh and Bill Clegg, at the
University of Cambridge. I am engaged in studying how fluid flows
through the porous structure of drying films, and how the forces these
flows represent give rise to features such as cracking.
During the past year I have gained a thorough grounding in the theory
of colloids and multi-phase flow, and experience in colloidal synthesis
and particle characterization, atomic force microscopy techniques
(including liquid AFM and force-displacement measurements), the
micromanipulation of microscopic and nanoscopic particles, and
methods of dynamically measuring deformation and strain.
2005-pres.
Collaborative research with Profs. Bernard Hallet and Ron Sletten, at
the University of Washington. I am committed to a long-term project
involving the dynamics of permafrost soils, which organize into a
startling variety of patterns. I have joined my colleagues on extended
trips to the Arctic and Antarctic to observe these patterns, and I have
contributed to the development of explanatory models. I plan to study
experimental analogues of these dynamics, and have supervised an
undergraduate research project to that end.
I am currently funding my participation in this collaboration with a
small personal research stipend I obtain from my college.
2006-2008
Collaborative research with Prof. L. Mahadevan, of Harvard University.
We developed a simple model to describe the dynamical selection of
the size of columnar joints, that is accurate for sub-millimeter cracks in
starch, and basalt columns over two meters across. I obtained
independent funds to lead three field seasons of observational work,
which contributed strongly to the success of this project.
2002-2008
Graduate research in pattern formation and non-linear dynamics,
supervised by Prof. Stephen Morris, at the University of Toronto.
Research focused on the fracture patterns of columnar joints in the lab
(in desiccated corn starch), and in the field (in lavas) in order to
understand the pattern scaling and ordering.
Experience was gained in experimental design, instruments and
electronics, the mathematics of nonlinear partial differential equations,
material characterization methods, fracture mechanics, rheology,
tomography, electron microscopy, acoustic sensing, numerical methods,
statistics, project management, academic writing, and field work.
I funded the majority of the first four years of my salary in this project
through successes in government research grant competitions.
2001-2002
Undergraduate thesis and summer project researching a novel method
for enhancing the nuclear spin polarization of a biological sample
adhered to a semiconductor powder. Experience was gained with
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L. Goehring
Curriculum Vitae
nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods, and biomaterials.
Supervisor Prof. Carl Michal.
2000
Summer research project on low temperature nuclear orientation.
Experience gained in low-temperature (~10 mK) experimental methods,
crystal preparation, vacuum systems and computer modeling.
Supervisor Prof. Brian Turrell.
Research Supervision
2009
Andrew Norton, Part III Materials Science, Cambridge.
Cracking and Drying in Colloidal Films. Studied how the
distance between cracks in a film depends on its properties,
such as the colloidal particle size and film thickness.
2008-2009
Rebecca Conroy and Asad Akhter, Part IIB Chemical
Engineering, Cambridge. Evolving crack patterns. Studied how
the surface cracks in mud puddles order themselves, when
repeatedly wetted and dried. The results can help to interpret
polygonal terrain in Antarctica and Mars.
2006-2007
Philip Lee, Physics, final year project, Toronto. Directional
drying of alumina slurries. Developed an experimental setup to
study how slurries dry, by gently flowing dry air over the
surface.
2002-2003
Zhenquan Lin, a visiting lecturer from China. Physics, Toronto.
Collaborated on simple experiments involving columnar joints
in starch, with results included in Goehring et al. PRE, 2006.
Teaching Experience
2009
2004-2007
2004-2007
2002-2004
2002
1996-1999
Supervisor for Colloids course in Chem. Eng., Cambridge.
Teaching assistant in 3rd/4th year physics course, Time series
analysis, Toronto.
Teaching assistant for 1st year physics labs, Toronto.
Teaching assistant for 2nd year physics labs, Toronto
Teaching assistant for 1st year physics labs, UBC.
Private high school tutor in math, science, English, and French.
Organizational & Administrative Experience
2009-present
2008-present
2005, 2006
2002-2005
1999-2000
1995-1998
Nonlinear geophysics meetings committee, American Geophysical
Union
Member of Governing Body, Wolfson College, Cambridge
Convened sessions on Geophysical Pattern Formation at the
American Geophysical Union fall meeting.
Junior fellow lecture co-coordinator for Massey College.
Volunteered with Pride UBC as an events co-coordinator.
Member of Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps, Captain Vancouver,
final rank and position as divisional commander.
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L. Goehring
Curriculum Vitae
Acted as an expert referee for The Physical Review, Langmuir, Philosophical
Transactions of the Royal Society, and Quaternary Research.
Field Experience
Antarctica (2007-08): Participated in a two-month field expedition to study groundice stability and the dynamics of polygonal terrain. (PI Ron Sletten).
Scotland (2006): Participated in an interdisciplinary surveying project on Staffa, a
small igneous island near Mull, Scotland (Coordinator Bob Mehew).
British Columbia (2005): Organized and lead a three-week field expedition to study
columnar jointing in a variety of igneous rocks, in British Columbia.
Greenland (2005): Participated in field course in northern Greenland, focussing on
permafrost dynamics and bio-feedback in the high arctic.
Washington State (2004): Organized and lead a three-week field expedition to study
columnar jointing in the Columbia River Basalt Group.
Technical experience
Proficient in Matlab, Labview, and Comsol Multiphysics. Some knowledge of C++,
Maple, and Mathematica.
Considerable experience with experimental design.
Research expertise in atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy, colloidal
synthesis and characterization, rheology, acoustic sensing, x-ray tomography, nuclear
magnetic resonance, low temperature systems, vacuum systems, and differential GPS.
Trained in laboratory, chemical, and radionuclide safety, machine shop practises, and
fieldwork techniques. Experience in general laboratory techniques involving
electronics, computer interface, chemistry, plumbing, instrument maintenance, etc.
Non-academic interests
I am an avid outdoorsman, and have been involved with backpacking for many years.
This has also involved rock-climbing, snowshoeing and skiing, to a lesser degree. I
am quite adventurous, and have considerable time exploring the Coastal and Rocky
Mountains of British Columbia. I have also hiked the Inka Trail to Machu Picchu in
Peru, rafted down the Grand Canyon, visited the high arctic, backpacked across
Europe, and hiked the West Highland Way. More recently, I have taken up caving, in
association with the Cambridge University Caving Club.
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