General
As laid down in its constitution the International Association of Colloid and Interface Scientists is a voluntary, non-profit-making organisation of individuals who are actively interested in the field of colloid and interface science.
The objectives of the Association are
(a) to promote international cooperation among colloid and interface scientists, and
(b) to encourage advancement and understanding in the field of colloid and interface science.
The Association seeks to achieve these goals by sponsoring international conferences in colloid and interface science, by encouraging regional activities and by providing relevant information to its members. It has been sponsoring the regularly arranged series of International Conferences on Surface and Colloid Science (ICSCS), now called the IACIS conferences.
After several decades in existence IACIS has proven to be a viable organisation, which has met the original objectives. It is essential that we enrol as many members as possible in order to better represent the worldwide community of professionals in research, development, and teaching in our discipline.
IACIS would like to develop as a world-wide umbrella organization. Until now this resulted in, e.g., a special relationship with the European Colloid and Interface Society.
IACIS Council
Standing Committee 2025-2028
President Prof. Dr. Alidad Amirfazli |
| At York University (CA) Alidad Amirfazli studies wettability, adhesion, and physicochemical aspects of droplet surface interactions, e.g. droplet impact and droplet shedding. He is also interested in developing novel instrumentation related to surfacetensiometry as well as application of surface thermodynamics to areas such as icing, coating, and condensation. |
President-elect Prof. Dr. Piotr Warszyński |
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Immediate Past President Prof. Dr. Greg Warr |
| At the University of Sydney (AU) Greg Warr works on amphiphile self-assembly in aqueous and non-aqueous systems, with a focus on understanding how nanostructured ionic liquids and deep eutectics affect structure-property relations of complex fluids. |
Honorary Secretary and Treasurer Prof. Dr. Wuge Briscoe |
| At the University of Bristol (UK), Wuge Briscoe studies surface interactions mediated by surfactants, polymers and nanofluids, and fundamental aspects of biomimetic lubrication, bacterial membranes, nanotoxicity, and eco-formulation |
Newsletter Editor and Webmaster Prof. Dr. Saskia Lindhoud |
| At the University of Twente (NL) Saskia Lindhoud works on polyelectrolyte complexation, polyelectrolyte complex based materials for separation, nanoplastic coagulation and surfactant systems. |
Ordinary Members of Council 2025-2028
| Prof. Dr. Peter Dowding (UK) | As Chief Scientist at Infineum, Pete Dowding has research interests in surfactant design/ self-assembly, computational modelling of structure/ performance relationships and characterisation techniques, particularly application of x-ray and neutron scattering to industrial systems. |
| Dr. Rie Kakehashi (Japan) | At Osaka Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (JP), Rie Kakehashi works on development of new surfactant-based thickeners and gelators for various solvents for industrial applications, with a focus on controlling the rheological properties of gels |
| Prof. Dr. Erin Koos (Belgium) | At KU Leuven (Be), Erin Koos studies the rheology, stability, and microstructure of suspensions, concentrating on systems with particle gel networks. The structure of these networks can then be used and tuned for the intelligent design of new materials. |
| Prof. Dr. Chiara Neto (Australia) | The Neto Research Group (AU) works on flow and spreading at liquid/solid interfaces, including super-wettability surfaces, atmospheric water capture, and microfluidic flows. |
| Prof. Dr. Karin Schillén (Sweden) | At Lund University (LU), Karin Schillén’s research interests focus on understanding the intermolecular interactions in aqueous mixtures of oppositely charged polymers and surfactants, in particular the formation of supramolecular co-assembled structures in systems containing block copolymers and bile salt biosurfactants. Karin’s experimental techniques of expertise are light and X-ray scattering, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and calorimetry. |
| Prof. Dr. Norman J. Wagner (USA) | |
| Prof. Dr. Xuehua Zhang (Canada) | At University of Alberta, Canada, Professor Zhang’s team works on fundamentals and applications of surface nanobubbles, phase change and chemical reaction of multicomponent droplets, interfacial evaporation, microbubble-enhanced cold plasma activation, and experiments and simulations of concentrated slurry flows. |
| Prof. Dr. Debora Berti (Italy) | At the University of Florence (Italy), Debora Berti and her group investigate the physical chemistry of soft matter systems, with a focus on self-assembled nanostructures and their interactions with biological interfaces. Her research includes hybrid lipid–nanoparticle assemblies, stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems. A key aim is to design and control complex soft interfaces for advanced applications in health and materials science. |
| Prof. Dr. Catherine Whitby (New Zealand) | At Massey University (NZ), Catherine Whitby works on the assembly of nanoparticles, proteins and surfactants at liquid interfaces. Her focus is on understanding how to control the structure, stability, and flow of soft materials by modifying the chemistry of drop and bubble surfaces. |
| Prof. Dr. Hideki Sakai (Japan) | At Tokyo University of Science, Japan, Hideki Sakai is leading a research group on fundamentals and applications of molecular assemblies formed by amphiphilic molecules. His research interest includes stimuli-responsive molecular assemblies, structural evaluation of molecular assemblies by using cryo-TEM and small angle X-ray scattering, and preparation of nanostructured materials using interfacial chemical techniques. |
| Prof. Dr. Lilo Pozzo (USA) | At the University of Washington, Lilo Pozzo works on the controlled synthesis and assembly of dispersions including emulsions, nanoparticles, polymers and small-molecule amphiphiles. The group focuses on the use of small angle scattering and high-throughput experimentation to accelerate the discovery and optimization of new technologies based on colloidal systems. |
| Prof. Dr. Annette Andrieu-Brunsen (Germany) | At the Technische Universität Darmstadt (DE) Annette Andrieu-Brunsen is heading the research group Macromolecular Chemistry – Smart Membranes. Her research focuses on nanopores, including nanopore design, for example using automated polymer writing and digital light processing, and transport control. Her group generates model materials and design criteria for innovation in the context of sensing, water management, energy conversion and recycling. |
| Prof. Dr. Margarita Sanchez-Dominguez (Mexico) | At the Advanced Materials Research Center (CIMAV) in Monterrey, Mexico, Margarita Sanchez-Dominguez is dedicated to the use of bicontinuous microemulsions as confined reaction media for the synthesis of hierarchical superstructures of plasmonic materials, metal oxides and metal organic frameworks for various applications; the development of ultrasensitive SERS substrates by electrodeposition, electrophoresis and galvanic displacement; nanoformulations for drug delivery; and gene therapy nanosystems for cancer theranostics. |
Co-opted Members 2025-2028
| Prof. To Ngai (China) | At The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ngai’s group works on particle behaviour at the interfaces, measuring interactions between particle-particle and particle-surface, manufacturing of green packaging materials and development of orthopaedic implant materials. |
| Prof. Jin Woong Kim
(South Korea) | At Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Jin Woong Kim works on engineering functional soft materials at nano- and micro-scales through controlled self-assembly in complex fluids. Expertise spans colloidal and molecular assembly, emulsion interactions, microfluidics, encapsulation technologies, vesicular systems (liposomes, extracellular vehicles), and transdermal drug delivery platforms. |
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Chair of the IACIS Award Committee (attending the Council meetings)
| Prof. Dr. Kazue Kurihara (Japan) |
