Curriculum Vitae / Resume

Main Research Interests

  • Self-assembly
  • Bio-inspiration
  • Soft Matter

Current position

I am currently a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Andreas Walther. Current research topics can be found here.

Research background

2017-2022: PhD, Soft Matter Physics; University of Amsterdam

Thesis Title: Assembly of Patchy Particles into Colloidal Superstructures

Performed at the Institute of Physics, in the Van der Waals-Zeeman Institute, under the supervision of Prof. Peter Schall.

You can read my PhD thesis online here, or download the official pdf here.

2015-2017: MSc, Molecular Life Sciences; University of Wageningen

Specialization: Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter

Thesis: Mapping Coacervation Behaviour of Temperature Responsive Polyelectrolytes

Supervised by Dr. Ilse van Hees and Prof. Marleen Kamperman at the Laboratory for Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter (Wageningen University). You can find a short summary here.
Internship: Self-coacervation of Squid Beak Proteins

Performed at the Biological and Biomimetic Material Laboratory at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, supervised by Prof. Ali Miserez. You can find a short summary here.

2012-2015: BSc, Molecular Life Sciences; University of Wageningen

Thesis: Modelling Micropatterned Adhesives: Effects of Stochasticity and Pillar Communication

Supervised by Dr. Maarten van Heek, Prof. Joris Sprakel and Prof. Jasper van der Gucht at the Laboratory for Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter. You can find a short summary here.

Skills

Experimental Skills

  • Microscopy:
    • Brightfield Microscopy (including home-build setups)
    • Confocal Microscopy
    • Scanning Electron Micropscopy
  • Chemical labwork:
    • Synthesis of polymers (RAFT, free radical)
    • Synthesis of colloids
    • General labwork
  • Data analysis (mostly Python):
    • Image analysis, like particle tracking.
    • General data handling
  • Static and Dynamic Light Scattering
  • Spectroscopy, like (2D-)NMR
  • Additive manufacturing / 3D-printing
    • SLA
    • PLA
    • CNC
    • Home built and designed systems
  • Microfluidics
  • Controlling devices using self-written scripts

Teaching Experience

  • Supervision of BSc and MSc thesis projects
  • Teaching Thermal Physics, a 2nd year course for BSc students in Physics (Amsterdam).
    • Supervise working classes
    • Managing digital content (Canvas)
    • Grading and supervision of exams and homework
  • Supervising Marcomolecular Chemistry lab course for BSc & MSc students (Mainz)
    • Supervising lab class for small groups of students
    • Grading reports

Computer Skills

  • Extensive experience in controlling equipment programmatically using Python.
  • Data analysis and visualization, preferably Python, but in a pinch also MATLAB, Origin or even MS Excel / LibreOffice Calc
  • Everyday use of OS, comfortable using terminal in both Linux and Windows.
  • 3D visualization using Blender, especially using Python scripting.
  • Generating files for 3D printing or CNC milling of stuff using FreeCAD, OpenSCAD, VCarve and Blender
  • Comfortable writing reports, documents, thesis, etc.. in Latex, Markdown, LibreOffice Writer & MS Word
  • General computer-y stuff like using Docker & git.

Languages

  • Dutch - Mother tongue
  • English - Fluent on academic level
  • German - Somewhere between B1 and B2, depending on my mood

Interests & hobbies

Also see here

  • Self-Hosting & fiddling with computers (as you can see from the existence this page)
  • Reading
  • Hiking
  • Rowing

Publications

I list my publications below, but do note that my ORCiD is much more likely to be up-to-date.

2024/01/31 11:41 · Piet Swinkels