Dr. Thomas O Connor

Biography

Thomas O’Connor is an Assistant Professor in the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. His research group specializes in molecular continuum modeling and simulation for the design of sustainable polymer materials, aiming to improve soft material manufacturing methods. Prior to his current role, O'Connor was a Harry S. Truman Fellow at Sandia National Laboratories, where he developed an open-source platform for modeling polymer processing flows known as RHEO. He is also an active developer of multiple open-source projects, particularly the LAMMPS software for molecular simulations, and is committed to enhancing science education through accessible modeling software for K-12 classrooms. O'Connor is involved with the U.S. Society of Rheology and the Division of Polymer Physics of the American Physical Society. His research interests extend to understanding the nanoscale structure and dynamics of plastics, gels, and nanocomposites, as well as the equilibrium flow and deformation of soft matter. The diverse computational techniques employed by his research group include molecular dynamics, lattice-Boltzmann methods, and mesh-free hydrodynamics, which allow for a multiscale approach to correlate molecular scale processes with macroscopic material behavior. O'Connor is particularly fascinated by how nature can inspire new polymer manufacturing methods, drawing lessons from the manipulation of biopolymers in insects, spiders, and worms.

Research Interests