Robert Powell
Professor, Food Science and Technology, Chemical Engineering, UC Davis
Chair, Education and Outreach Advisory Board, Scientific Advisory Board
Robert is a Professor Emeritus at the Food Science and Technology Chemical Engineering Department at UC Davis. His research focused on rheology, biorheology, ultrasonics and suspension mechanics. Suspension dynamics was studied by using magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging. Macroscopic rheological properties of suspensions of spherical and rod-like particles were also under investigation. Suspensions of multisized spherical particles were under review theoretically and experimentally. He carried out biorheological studies to elucidate the mechanical interactions between spermatozoa and their environment. Experimental and theoretical investigations showed that low concentrations of a polymer additive in water can dramatically alter nonlinear wave propagation in viscoelastic fluids. He extended this work to a wide range of non-Newtonian fluids.