Dr. Ruth Cardinaels

Biography

Ruth Cardinaels focuses her research on the development of multiphasic materials with specific functionalities. Her work entails understanding the relationship between microstructure and the material properties that arise from different flow conditions. Key characteristics examined in her studies include rheological and (di)electric properties across a variety of material types, including traditional polymers, polymer nanocomposites, and food materials such as suspensions, emulsions, solutions, and gels. Employing a range of material characterization techniques, her method relies on in-situ time-resolved characterization of the flow using rheology and various rheo-optical and rheo-dielectric techniques, which provide insights into developing material structures related to processing properties. Ruth has designed dedicated experimental setups including flow cells and processing equipment to facilitate this research area. Her academic background includes a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from KU Leuven, Belgium, where she graduated in 2005, followed by a PhD awarded in 2010 for her research on droplet dynamics in polymer blends under shear flow. After her postdoctoral work at Princeton University and additional training, she has held positions at TU Eindhoven as an Assistant Professor before her current role as a part-time Full Professor in the Mechanical Engineering department and Professor in the Chemical Engineering department at KU Leuven. She has received several prestigious awards and grants, including the ERC Starting Grant and the Distinguished Young Rheologist Award.

Research Interests

Experience

Awards