Matthew Dennison

Research

  • Senior Humboldt Research Fellow, 2014-present: TU Berlin, Germany.
    • Investigating the non-thermal diffusion of active proteins using computer simulations.
    • Investigating the effects of hydrodynamic interactions on elastic networks.
    • Research funded by a grant for experienced researchers from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

  • Postdoctoral Researcher, 2011-2013: VU Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
    • Examining the elastic behaviour of model cross-linked networks using computer simulations.
    • Investigating on the effects of thermal fluctuations and external fields on the stiffness of networks.
    • Supervised research of junior colleagues, resulting in work published in international journals.

  • Postdoctoral Researcher, 2009-2011: Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
    • Theoretical modelling of the behaviour of semi-flexible colloidal rods and biopolymers.
    • Predicting phase behaviour of anisotropic colloids using Monte Carlo simulations and free energy calculations.

    Teaching

  • Guest Lecturer, 2017: TU Berlin, Germany.
    • Developed and delivered a 16 lecture course on Monte Carlo methods for graduate students.

  • Teaching Assistant, 2011-2013: The University of Manchester, UK.
    • Aided students in tutorials and laboratory sessions, marked coursework and invigilated examinations.
    • Modules covered include:
      • Enquiry based learning tutorial sessions
      • Programming in C, Fortran and Matlab
      • Chemical Reaction Engineering, Chemical Thermodynamics and Mathematical Methods

    Education

  • PhD in Statistical Physics, 2006-2009: The University of Manchester, UK.
    • Thesis Title: Theory and Simulation of Liquid Crystalline Phases
    • Used high order virial expansions to calculate thermodynamic, structural and elastic properties of liquid and liquid crystalline phases.
    • Used Monte Carlo and molecular dynamic simulations to study phase behaviour of various discotic particles.

  • MPhys in Physics and Astrophysics, 2002-2006: The University of Manchester, UK.
    • Grade: First Class Honours
    • Developed algorithms to locate rare events in sets of observatory data and benchmarked them on data generated via the Monte Carlo method.
    • Awarded Tessella Prize for best use of software in an MPhys project.

    Selected Talks

  • "DPG Spring Meeting", Regensburg, Germany, 6–11 March 2016
  • "NECD15, Potsdam", Germany, 5–8 October 2015
  • "Physics@FOM (Dutch Physics meeting)", Veldhoven, The Netherlands, 22–23 January 2013
  • "8th Liquid Matter conference", Vienna, Austria, 6–10 September 2011
  • "Colloidal Dispersions in External Fields (CODEF) Young Researchers Meeting", Utrecht University, The Netherlands, 18–19 April 2011
  • "22nd Conference of the European Colloid and Interface Society", Krakow, Poland, 31 August–5 September 2008
  • "British Liquid Crystal Society annual meeting", University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, 17–19 March 2008

    • Schools and Courses

  • “Debye Spring School - Nanophotonics: Light Control, Emission and Harvesting”, The Netherlands, 19–21 April 2010
  • “3rd Warsaw School of Statistical Physics”, Poland, 27 June–4 July 2009
  • “Methods in Molecular Simulation Summer School”, UK, 8–17 July 2007
  • “British Liquid Crystal Society Annual Winter Workshop”, UK, 18–20 December 2006