Henry C. W. Chu - Faculty


Photo of Henry C. W. Chu

Henry Chu

Assistant Professor
Website: Chu Group

Research Summary

The theme of our research is heterogeneous soft matter transport and design, covering topics such as complex fluid dynamics, colloid and interface science, electrokinetics, and rheology. Our research develops predictive multi-scale computational tools (e.g. particle/fluid dynamics simulations) and fundamental theory (e.g. asymptotic/scaling analyses) to address emerging NAE Grand Challenges for Engineering in these research areas, emphasizing on close collaboration with experimental groups to translate knowledge into applications.  Examples of applications include enhanced oil recovery, CO2 sequestration, smart materials assembly, sustained drug delivery, engineered functional surfaces, 3D printing, adaptive micro-robots, and microfluidic energy harvesting.

For details of available projects and information of our group, see http://www.chugroup.site

Education

Ph.D., 2017, Cornell University
M.Phil., 2012, The University of Hong Kong
B.Eng., 2010, The University of Hong Kong

Awards & Distinctions

  • Global Faculty Fellow, University of Florida, 2021
  • Research Travel Grant Award, Cornell University, 2016
  • Student Member Travel Award, American Institute of Physics The Society of Rheology, 2014, 2016
  • Clyde W. Mason Scholar, Cornell University, 2013
  • Outstanding Research Postgraduate Award, The University of Hong Kong, 2012

selected Publications

  • H. C. W. Chu, S. Garoff, R. D. Tilton and A. S. Khair (2022). Tuning chemotactic and diffusiophoretic spreading via hydrodynamic flows, Soft Matter, 18, 1896-1910.
  • H. C. W. Chu, S. Garoff, R. D. Tilton and A. S. Khair (2021). Macrotransport theory for diffusiophoretic colloids and chemotactic microorganisms, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 917, A52.
  • H. C. W. Chu and R. N. Zia (2019). Toward a nonequilibrium Stokes-Einstein relation via active microrheology of hydrodynamically interacting colloidal dispersions, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 539, 388-399.
  • H. C. W. Chu and R. N. Zia (2017). The non-Newtonian rheology of hydrodynamically interacting colloids via active, nonlinear microrheology, Journal of Rheology, 61, 551-574.
  • C. O. Ng and H. C. W. Chu (2011). Electrokinetic flows through a parallel-plate channel with slipping stripes on walls, Physics of Fluids, 23, 102002.