Dr. Sunghan Ro

Biography

Sunghan Ro is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Harvard University, starting on July 1, 2025. His research area focuses on statistical physics, particularly in the context of soft living matter and equilibrium systems. He studies collective phenomena in active matter, which includes natural systems like bacteria and animals, as well as artificial systems such as colloids and robots. His work highlights how active matter, driven by internal and external forces, demonstrates collective behaviors similar to equilibrium systems, including phase separation and unique responses to disorder and fluctuations. Sunghan and his collaborators have discovered that the lack of time-reversal symmetry in active matter leads to exotic behaviors when subjected to various types of perturbations. He is particularly interested in exploring the mechanisms of activity in active matter, examining responses of nonequilibrium systems, and designing microscopic rules for motion to control emergent macroscopic behaviors.

Research Interests

Experience