Team Research Publications Principal Investigator Google Scholar

Nourhani Research Lab  

From left to right: Rafsun Hossain Mridha, Morteza Nattagh-Najafi, Amir Nourhani, Ashton Orosa, Connor Lengel, Brett Sukie, Andrew Frankowski, Andrew Fuller, Rafe Zayed, Mohammad Nabil

Principal Investigator

  • Amir Nourhani Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Biology, and Mathematics

Visiting Scholar

  • Morteza Nattagh-Najafi Professor of Mathematical Physics and Complex Systems

Ph.D. Students

  • Mohammad Nabil Research: Low Reynolds hydrodynamics and self-phoresis of microrobots
  • Rafe Zayed Research: Phase transition and superdiffusion in active matter
  • Rafsun Hossain Mridha Research: Self-organized criticality in active and passive sandpile models

Undergraduate Students

  • Andrew Frankowski Research: Microrobots in a symmetric potential with drift
  • Ashton Orosa Research: Microrobots in a time-varying symmetric potential
  • Andrew Fuller Research: Microrobots in an asymmetric potential
  • Connor Lengel Research: Biohybrid microrobots
  • Brett Sukie Research: Biohybrid microrobots

Alumni

  • Dr. Seyed Amin Nabavizadeh (guest) Ph.D. student
  • Dr. Parvin Bayati Postdoctoral Scholar

Research: Microscale Fluid and Active Soft Matter 

Our theoretical, computational, and experimental research includes:
      1) Biomimetic microswimmers and active colloids.
      2) Stochastic dynamics of self-propellers, including microorganism, animals, and drones.
      3) Microfluidic characterization of microbial community in the deep subsurface.
      4) Hydrodynamics of mineral suspensions.

Designing Self-phoretic Nanomotors

bimettalic

Kinematrix Theory and Stochastic Phenomena

Phys. Rev. E. 94, 030601(R) (2016)
Phys. Rev. E. 90, 062304 (2014)
Phys. Rev. E. 89, 062304 (2014)
Phys. Rev. E. 87, 050301(R) (2013) kinematrix

Designing Novel Particle-Particle Interactions

magneticswimmer

Acoustic Actuation of Bio-inspired Microswimmers

Adv. Func. Mat. , 1809003 (2019)
Lab on Chip 17, 395 (2016)
Lab on Chip 16, 3532 (2016)
Scientific Reports 5, 9744 (2015) acoustic

Steering Nanorotors in a Periodic Potential

cc

Geometrically Frustrated Channels

TAIFM

Publications  

Journal Papers


  1. Y. Wang, V. H. Crespi, M. L. Cohen, A. Nourhani *, Phys. Rev. Lett. (under publication)
  2. F. Soto, E. Karshalev, F. Zhang, B. E. F. de Ávila, A. Nourhani, J. Wang, Chem. Rev. , 122, 5365 (2022)
  3. M. Nabil, A. Frankowski, A. Orosa, A. Fuller, A. Nourhani *, Phys. Rev. E , 105, 054610 (2022)
  4. M. Nabil, S. A. Nabavizadeh, P. E. Lammert, A. Nourhani * J. Fluid Mech. , 936, R1 (2022)
  5. S. A. Nabavizadeh, J. Castañeda, J. G. Gibbs, A. Nourhani *, Part. Part. Syst. Charact. , 2100232 (2022)
  6. A. Nourhani *, V. H. Crespi, P. E. Lammert Phy. Rev. E , 105, 044105 (2022)
  7. P. Bayati, A. Nourhani * Phy. Rev. E , 105, 024606 (2022)
  8. A. Nourhani *, D. Saintillan Phy. Rev. E , 103, L040601 (2021)
  9. E. Karshalev, C. Silva-Lopez, K. Chan, J. Yan, E. Sandraz, M. Gallot, A. Nourhani, J. Garay, and J. Wang Nano. Lett. , 21, 2240 (2021)
  10. A. Nourhani, E. Karshalev, F. Soto, J. Wang Research. , 7823615 (2020)
  11. M. A. Lopez‐Ramirez, F. Soto, C. Wang, R. Rueda, S. Shukla, C. Silva‐Lopez, D. Kupor, D. A. McBride, J. K. Pokorski, A. Nourhani, N. F. Steinmetz, N. J. Shah, J. Wang Adv. Mater. , 32, 1905740 (2020)
  12. F. Soto, M. A. Lopez‐Ramirez, I. Jeerapan, B. E.‐F. de Avila, R. K. Mishra, X. Lu, I. Chai, C. Chen, D. Kupor, A. Nourhani, J. Wang Adv. Func. Mat. , 1900658 (2019)
  13. S. Tang, F. Zhang, J. Zhao, W. Talaat, F. Soto, E. Karshalev, C. Chen, Z. Hu, X. Lu, J. Li, Z. Lin, H. Dong, X. Zhang, A. Nourhani, J. Wang Adv. Func. Mat. , 1809003 (2019)
  14. F. Zhang, R. Mundaca‐Uribe, H. Gong, B. E.‐F. de Ávila, M. Beltrán‐Gastélum, E. Karshalev, A. Nourhani, Y. Tong, B. Nguyen, M. Gallot, Y. Zhang, L. Zhang, J. Wang, Adv. Mat. , 1901828 (2019)
  15. A. Nourhani *, V. H. Crespi, P. E. Lammert, Phys. Rev. E 98, 032107 (2018)
  16. A. Nourhani, D. Brown, N. Pletzer, J. G. Gibbs, Adv. Mat. 29, 1703910 (2017)
  17. J. N. Johnson, A. Nourhani *, R. Peralta, B. Thiesing, C. J. Mann, P. E. Lammert, and J. G. Gibbs, Phys. Rev. E 95, 042609 (2017)
  18. M. Kaynak, A. Ozcelik, A. Nourhani, P. E. Lammert, V. H. Crespi, T. J. Huang, Lab on Chip 17, 395 (2017)
  19. A. Nourhani *, P. E. Lammert, Phys. Rev. Lett., 116, 178302 (2016)
  20. A. Nourhani *, S. J. Ebbens, J. G. Gibbs, P. E. Lammert, Phys. Rev. E 94, 030601(R) (2016)
  21. P. E. Lammert, V. H. Crespi, A. Nourhani *, J. Fluid. Mech. 802, 294 (2016)
  22. M. Kaynak, A. Ozcelik, N. Nama, A. Nourhani , P. E. Lammert, V. H. Crespi, and T. J. Huang, Lab on Chip 16, 3532 (2016)
  23. A. Nourhani *, V. H. Crespi, P. E. Lammert, Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 118101 (2015)
  24. A. Nourhani *, V. H. Crespi, P. E. Lammert, Phys. Rev. E 91, 062303 (2015)
  25. A. Nourhani *, V. H. Crespi, P. E. Lammert, A. Borhan, Phys. Fluids 27, 092002 (2015)
  26. A. Nourhani *, P. E. Lammert, V. H. Crespi, A. Borhan, Phys. Fluids 27, 012001 (2015)
  27. D. Ahmed, M. Lu, A. Nourhani, P. E. Lammert, Z. Stratton, H. S. Muddana, V. H. Crespi, T. J. Huang, Scientific Reports 5, 9744 (2015)
  28. A. Nourhani *, V. H. Crespi, P. E. Lammert, Phys. Rev. E. 90, 062304 (2014)
  29. A. Nourhani *, P. E. Lammert, A. Borhan, V. H. Crespi, Phys. Rev. E 89, 062304 (2014)
  30. M. Sadati, A. Nourhani, J. J. Fredberg, N. Taheri-Qazvini, WIREs Syst Biol Med DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1258 (2014)
  31. A. Nourhani, P. E. Lammert, A. Borhan, V. H. Crespi, Phys. Rev. E 87, 050301(R) (2013)
  32. A. Nourhani, Y.-M. Byun, P. E. Lammert, A. Borhan, V. H. Crespi, Phys. Rev. E 88, 062317 (2013)
  33. M. Khorassani, S. Pourmahdian, F. Afshar-Taromi, A. Nourhani, Iranian Polymer Journal 14, 1000 (2005)

Conferences


  1. A. Nourhani, S. A. Nabavizadeh, M. Nabil, P. E. Lammert, 75th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, Indianapolis, Indiana, Nov 20–22, 2022.
  2. A. Nourhani, S. A. Nabavizadeh, J. Castañeda, J. Gibbs, AIChE Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, November 13-18 2022.
  3. A. Nourhani, S. A. Nabavizadeh, M. Nabil, P. E. Lammert, AIChE Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, November 13-18 2022.
  4. A. Nourhani, M. Nabil, A. Frankowski, A. Orosa, A. Fuller, AIChE Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, November 13-18 2022.
  5. A. Nourhani 74th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, Phoenix, AZ, November 21–23, 2021.
  6. A. Nourhani, Y. Wang, V.H. Crespi, M. Cohen Virtual Graphene and Beyond Workshop. May 12-14, 2021..
  7. A. Nourhani, S. A. Nabavizadeh APS March Meeting, Virtual. March 15–19, 2021.
  8. A. Nourhani, D. Saintillan Virtual AIChE Annual Meeting. November 16-20, 2020.
  9. A. Nourhani, M. Nabil, P.E. Lammert Virtual AIChE Annual Meeting. November 16-20, 2020.
  10. A. Nourhani, J. Castaneda, S. A. Nabavizadeh, J. Gibbs, Virtual AIChE Annual Meeting. November 16-20, 2020.
  11. A. Nourhani,D. Saintillan 73th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics; Virtual, CT (Chicago time). November 22–24, 2020.
  12. F. Soto, M. Lopez-Ramirez, I. Jeerapan, I., A. Nourhani, and J. Wang ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY (Vol. 258). 1155 16TH ST, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20036 USA: AMER CHEMICAL SOC, August 2019.
  13. A. Nourhani, D. Saintillan, 72th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, Seattle, WA, November 23–26, 2019.
  14. J. G. Gibbs, B. Landry, A. Nourhani, Workshop on Emergent dynamics and self-assembly of out-of-equilibrium colloids, Lausanne, Switzerland, March 11-13, 2019.
  15. A. Nourhani, Vincent H. Crespi, Paul E. Lammert, 71th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, Atlanta, GA, November 18 - 20, 2018.
  16. A. Nourhani, Vincent H. Crespi, Paul E. Lammert, 70th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, Denver, Colorado, November 19–21, 2017.
  17. J. G. Gibbs, R. Peralta, J. Johnson, B. Thiesing, C. J. Mann, A. Nourhani, MNM2016 - International Workshop on Micro- and Nanomachines, Hannover, Germany, 29 June – 1 July, 2016.
  18. A. Nourhani, Paul. E. Lammert, Annual Meeting of the APS Mid-Atlantic Section, Morgantown, WV, October 23-25, 2015.
  19. A. Nourhani, V. H. Crespi, P. E. Lammert, APS March Meeting, San Antonio, TX, March 2-6, 2015.
  20. A. Nourhani, A. Nourhani, P. E. Lammert, V. H. Crespi, A. Borhan, 67th APS DFD Meeting, San Francisco, CA, November 23 - 25, 2014.
  21. A. Nourhani, D. Ahmed, M. Lu, P. E. Lammert, V. H. Crespi and T. J. Huang, AIChE Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, November 16-21, 2014.
  22. A. Nourhani, P.E. Lammert, A. Borhan, V.H. Crespi, AIChE Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, November 16-21, 2014.
  23. A. Nourhani, P.E. Lammert, A. Borhan, V.H. Crespi, AIChE Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, November 16-21, 2014.
  24. A. Nourhani, , P.E. Lammert, A. Borhan, V.H. Crespi, APS March Meeting, Denver, CO, March 3-7, 2014.
  25. A. Nourhani, P.E. Lammert, A. Borhan, V.H. Crespi, AIChE Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, November 3-8, 2013.
  26. A. Nourhani, P.E. Lammert, A. Borhan, V.H. Crespi, APS March Meeting, Baltimore, MD, March 18-22, 2013.
  27. A. Nourhani, P.E. Lammert, A. Borhan, V.H. Crespi, 65th APS DFD Meeting, San Diego, CA, November 18-20, 2012.
  28. A. Nourhani, P.E. Lammert, A. Borhan, V.H. Crespi, APS March Meeting, Boston, MA, February 27-March 2, 2012.
  29. A. Nourhani, P.E. Lammert, A. Borhan, V.H. Crespi, 64th APS DFD Meeting, Baltimore, MD, November 20-22, 2011.
  30. M. Khorassani, F. Afshar-Taromi, M. M. Bozorgi, S. Pourmahdian, A. Nourhani, ISPST 2007, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
  31. M. Khorassani, S. Pourmahdian, F. Afshar-Taromi, A. Nourhani, MACRO 2004, Paris, France, July 4-9, 2004
  32. A. Nourhani, S. M. Kassiriha, M. A. Mazandarani, paper no. 10, 2nd International Conference for Paint, Coatings, and related Chemicals, Tehran, Iran, Feburary 5, 2003.
 
Amir Nourhani
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Departments of Biology and Mathematics
Core faculty, Biomimicry Research and Innovation Center (BRIC)
University of Akron
amir.nourhani@gmail.com

Education  

  • Ph.D. in Physics, The Pennsylvania State University
    Dissertation: Kinematic Matrix theory, chiral diffusion and chromatography of self-propellers
    2014
  • Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
    Dissertation: Dynamics of electrocatalytic nanomotors and powered random walkers
    2012
  • M.Sc. in Theoretical Physics, Sharif University of Technology
    Thesis: The possibility of quantum non-locality in the absence of entanglement
    2007
  • B.Sc. in Physics of Thin Films, Amirkabir University of Technology
    2007
  • B.Sc. in Polymer Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology
    Thesis: Elucidation of fundamental aspects of polymer scratching
    2003
  • Allameh Helli, National Organization for Development of Exceptional Talents
    1990-1995

Professional Experience

  • Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Akron
    7/2019-present
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, University of Akron
    7/2019-present
  • Core Faculty, Biomimicry Research and Innovation Center (BRIC)
    7/2019-present
  • MRSEC Affiliate, Penn State Center for Nanoscale Science
    1/2017-6/2019
  • Visiting Research Scholar, Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego
    8/2018-4/2018
  • Research Associate, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northern Arizona University
    4/2017-6/2018
  • Visiting Research Scholar, Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley
    3/2015-10/2015
  • Research Associate, Penn State Center for Nanoscale Science
    1/2015-12/2016
  • Research Assistant, Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University
    8/2012-12/2014
  • Research Assistant, Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
    1/2008-8/2012

Awards

  • Peter Clay Eklund Graduate Lectureship Award -- Honorable mention, Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University
    2014
  • David H. Rank Memorial Physics Award, Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University
    2013
  • Downsbrough Graduate Fellowship, Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University
    2013
  • David C. Duncan Graduate Fellowship, Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University
    2013
  • The Larry Duda Personal Excellence Awards, Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
    2009
  • Best Thesis Proposal Award, Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
    2009

Workshops

  • Colloidal, Macromolecular & Polyelectrolyte Solutions - Gordon Research Conference, Ventura, CA
    Feb 7 - 12, 2016
  • Machine Learning for Materials Research: Boot camp and Workshop, University of Maryland
    June 28 - July 1, 2016
  • Graphene and Beyond: 2015, Materials Research Institute, Penn State University, State College, PA
    May 11 - 12, 2015
  • Nanostructure Fabrication - Gordon Research Conference, University of New England, ME
    July 15 - 20, 2012
  • Nanostructure Fabrication - Gordon Research Conference, Tilton School, Tilton, NH
    July 18 - 23, 2010
  • Polymer physics - Gordon Research Conference, Salve Regina University, Newport, RI
    June 29 - July 4, 2008

Service

  • Chair, Session A10: Microswimmers I, 70th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, Denver, Colorado
    November 19–21, 2017
  • Delegate of College of Engineering, Graduate Student Association, The Pennsylvania State University
    2010-2012
  • Contibuting Scientist, MRSEC museum project with the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA
    2012
  • President, Society of Physics Students, Amirkabir University of Technology
    2005

Editorial

  • Reviews for: Physics of Fluids, ACS Nano, Journal of Physical Chemistry, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics (PCCP), Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, Chemistry of Materials.

Talks

  1. Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, CA, October 11, 2018.
  2. Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, IL, October 12, 2015
  3. Dept. Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, September 25, 2015
  4. MRSEC seminar, The Pennsylvania State University, May 4, 2015
  5. Dept. Physics, University of North Texas, Feb 16, 2015.
  6. Dept. Physics and Astronomy, University of Georgia, Feb 13, 2015
  7. Dept. Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Feb 11, 2015
  8. Dept. Physics, Georgetown University, Feb 9, 2015.
  9. Sharif University of Technology, October 8 and 15, 2005