Carolina Science Cafe: The Mathematics of Thin Materials

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From pizza to plant leaves: The mathematics of thin materials

Why do plant leaves curl as they grow or dry out? Why do you fold a slice of pizza when picking it up? How can inflatable structures support heavy loads? At December’s Carolina Science Café, Dr. Thomas Chandler will explore these questions through the lens of applied mathematics. He will introduce the mechanics of thin elastic materials, showing how geometry and the competition between bending and stretching govern their behavior. From Gauss’s remarkable theorem to the design of soft robots, he will demonstrate how these mathematical ideas help us understand biological structures and inspire new technologies.

Designed for adults, Carolina Science Cafe is a free program that explores science topics making national and international headlines, offering the chance to meet the experts behind the work. This special program is hosted at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro on the first Tuesday of every month. Light appetizers are available for all attendees.

About the Speaker

Originally from England, Thomas Chandler received his PhD from the University of Oxford, UK, in 2021, before becoming a Van Vleck Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, WI, from 2021 to 2025. In 2025, he joined UNC–Chapel Hill as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics, where he teaches and conducts research in the Applied Mathematics group. His research focuses on modelling fluids and elastic materials found in a range of biological systems, from the complex fluids within cells to the mechanics of plant leaves.

More about Dr. Chandler

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

Morehead Planetarium and Science Center

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From Morehead Planetarium and Science Center