Frontiers and Progress of Current Soft Matter Research

1. Introduction to Nonequilibrium Statistical Physics and its Foundations.- 2. On the Foundational Principles of Statistical Mechanics.- 3. Generalized Onsager Principle and It Applications.- 4. An Introduction to Emergence Dynamics in Complex Systems.- 5. Basics of Molecular Modeling and Molecular Simulation.- 6. Cocoon Silk: from Mesoscopic Materials Design to Engineering Principles and Applications.- 7. A Primer on Gels (with an Emphasis on Molecular Gels).-  8. Fréedericksz-like Positional Transition Triggered by an External Electric Field.

Professor Xiang-Yang Liu is joint professor at Xiamen University, China and National University of Singapore, Singapore. He is currently the State Distinguished Professor of the 1000 Talent Program, Chair Professor of China MOE Changjiang Scholars Program. He is the vice Dean of the College of Physical Science and Technology, Director of the Research Institute for Biomimetics and Soft Matter, Xiamen University, the State 111 Intellectual Recruitment Base, the Director of Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Flexible Materials etc.
Prof. Liu has authored 4 books. 23+ invited book chapters, and > 300 peer reviewed papers, including > 70 papers in high impact journals, ie. Nature, Chem. Soc. Rev, JACS, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., Adv. Mater., Nature Comm., Phys. Rev. Lett., etc. Many results were widely cited by Nature Science Update, Nature Physics Portal, Nature Materials Update etc. His international stand can be substantiated by his delivery of 140+ plenary/keynote or invited talks in international conferences and workshops, the organization of 30+ international conferences/symposia, and receiving numerous awards.Prof. Liu's research interests range from crystallization to biomimetics, soft matters, etc. His works on the mesoscopic structure and nucleation kinetics can be regarded as a few among the breakthroughs received numerous citations, which can be found relevant implications in design and fabrication of flexible materials and flexible electronics.In addition to his academic achievements, he also serves for many national and international boards/Institutions, ie. the 5th President of the Asia Association for Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology, the councilor of the International Organization for Crystal Growth, the Guess-Editor-in-Chief for Small, Adv. Funct. Mater, and J. Crystal Growth, etc.