About

At Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago

Hello, I am Sujatha Sampath, welcome to my blog and website, physicist-artist.com !!

I am a Physicist with a Ph.D. in Condensed Matter Physics., also an artist, trained in classical music, an avid foodie and a nature buff.

I am interested in fundamental phenomena in the smallest scales in the universe, the realm of atoms and molecules, the “nano-world”. My research is highly inter-disciplinary, largely in the area of nanoscience and nanotechnology with applications in materials development, biophysics, nano-medicine, cancer therapeutics, semiconductor chips and alternate energy.

I study complex structural patterns formed by atoms under special conditions. These atomic organizations are important to understand because they create exotic materials properties and functions. and can be used to design and develop new advanced materials and smart devices. To look at structures so tiny, I use powerful x-rays from synchrotron particle accelerators, neutron and ion beams as my probes.

I love sharing results of my scientific research and those of my peers in the scientific community with the public at large. I’ve given invited talks on scientific topics in public forums, to audiences from young students to adults. Check out my talk on TED.com on the fascinating material properties of spider-silks and how physics research and methods play an important role in solving problems in other fields like biomimetics and medicine.

My rendezvous with arts started when I was very young. I’ve been sketching and painting since I was a child. I find my art has evolved both in style and thematically over the years. Capturing effects of light and textures on the canvas captivate me both as an artist and a physicist. I have been painting with oil as my primary medium for many years, though I do venture into water colors for beautiful translucent effects it can create. Free form sketching and impressionism are tenets which resonate with me and reflect in my art work.

I started this blog as a platform to share my thoughts on science and technology, my experiments with art and love for the outdoors. Thanks for visiting my site, please contact me with comments or questions regarding my articles.