“Even Coffee Stains Follow Patterns”: Professor Sidney Nagel Explores the Principles of Nature at DGIST

- DGIST Distinguished Lecture Series to Feature “Patterns in Nature Found in Coffee Stains and Water Droplets” on May 12 - A world-renowned scholar in soft matter physics who explains everyday physical phenomena through clear and accessible principles

□ DGIST (President Lee Kunwoo) will host the 31st DGIST Distinguished Lecture Series (DLS) on Tuesday, May 12, inviting world-renowned physicist Professor Sidney Robert Nagel of the University of Chicago. The lecture will be held in Room L29 of Consilience Hall, DGIST E7.

 

□ Professor Nagel currently serves as the Stein-Freiler Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago and is a leading global authority in the field of soft matter physics. Through his work, he has discovered new laws of physics in materials and phenomena familiar to everyone, such as glass, coffee stains, and water droplets. In 2023, he received the American Physical Society’s Medal for Exceptional Achievement in Research, one of the society’s highest honors, further affirming his standing in the academic community.

 

□ The lecture, titled “Patterns and Structure in Nature,” will explore the physical laws and structural principles behind natural phenomena hidden in everyday materials such as sand, water, and coffee grounds.

 

□ In particular, the lecture is expected to make physics, which can often seem difficult, more accessible through everyday examples. It will offer not only researchers but also general audiences interested in science an opportunity to see patterns and structures in nature from a new perspective.

 

□ DGIST President Lee Kunwoo said, “It is especially meaningful to welcome Professor Nagel, a world-renowned scholar who has shared the wonder of basic science with the public, to DGIST,” adding, “I hope this lecture will provide a valuable opportunity for DGIST members to broaden their perspective on science and discover the joy of inquiry found in natural phenomena.”

 

□ Meanwhile, DGIST’s DLS is a regular lecture program that invites leading scholars from Korea and abroad across various fields, providing DGIST members and local researchers with opportunities to share world-class research trends and build academic networks. DGIST expects this lecture to further promote academic exchange in physics and basic science, while contributing to the cultivation of interdisciplinary talent and the strengthening of its research competitiveness in basic science.

Published: 19 May 2026

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