Thomas O'Connor
Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Thomas O’Connor's research group applies molecular and continuum modeling and simulation to design sustainable polymer materials and improve soft material manufacturing methods. Prior to joining Carnegie Mellon, O'Connor was a Harry S. Truman Fellow at Sandia National Laboratories, where he developed an open-source platform for modeling polymer processing flows (RHEO). He is an active developer on several other open-source projects, including the LAMMPS software for molecular simulations, and works to build free modeling software to enhance science education in university and K12 classrooms. O'Connor is an active member of the U.S. Society of Rheology and the Division of Polymer Physics of the American Physical Society.
O'Connor's research aims to apply theory and simulation to understand the nanoscale structure and dynamics of plastics, gels, nanocomposites, and other soft matter in equilibrium and during flow and deformation. His research group uses a variety of computational methods including molecular dynamics, lattice-Boltzmann Methods, and mesh-free hydrodynamics. This multiscale approach allows the O’Connor group to identify the molecular scale processes that produce macroscopic material behavior and use these discoveries to design more versatile and sustainable soft materials. O’Connor is particularly interested in learning how nature can guide the design of new polymer manufacturing methods by studying how insects, spiders, and worms have naturally evolved to manipulate biopolymers as adhesives and webbing.
Molecular modeling and simulation to design sustainable polymers
Self-Assembled Associating Polymers with Thomas O'Connor
Education
Ph.D. Physics, Johns Hopkins University
M.S. Physics, Johns Hopkins University
B.S. Physics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Affiliations
Media mentions
CMU Engineering
A solid step for polymer rings
A new discovery about how ring-shaped polymers behave has the potential to enable new ways for scientists to design more sustainable materials.
CMU Engineering
Faculty members win DOE Early Career Program Awards
Carlee Joe-Wong and Thomas O’Connor win the Early Career Program Award from the Department of Energy Office of Science for their independent projects.
Materials Science and Engineering
Sparking interest in materials science
MSE faculty are involved with a variety of efforts aimed to engage elementary, middle, and high school students with materials science concepts.
CMU Engineering
Welcome to the self-assembled jungle
Thomas O’Connor finds that all hope is not lost for working with, processing, and one day recycling self-assembled materials.