SCM - Seminar
Mechanical memories in soft matter systems
Speaker: Nidihi Pashine (Syracuse University, New York)
Raman Research Institute
Bangalore
Seminar
Title: Mechanical memories in soft matter systems
Speaker: Nidhi Pashine, Syracuse University, New York
Date & Time: Monday, 11 May 2026 at 11:00am
Venue: Auditorium
Abstract: Memory is the ability to encode, access, and erase signatures of past history. Although we typically associate memory with biological systems, it is not something that is unique to brains. Disordered materials can also retain (much simpler) memories of their mechanical history, and this memory fundamentally changes their behavior and properties. By understanding where and how memory is stored in these systems, we can ask transformative questions: Can we harness this memory for computation? Can we design materials by training them with external forces rather than controlling their microstructure?
In this talk, I will explore memory phenomena across three distinct platforms: disordered networks, holey sheets, and granular packings. Each system reveals how mechanical memory emerges from the interplay between structure, dynamics, and external forcing, and how we can leverage this memory to create functional materials. Together, these examples show that soft matter offers a rich platform for designing systems where memory, computation, and self-organization arise from simple, trainable mechanical interactions.
All Are Welcome