The Martinez Research Group interest lies in gaining a fundamental understanding of soft materials physics and then applying this knowledge to the development of functional structures for applications such as drug delivery, photonic materials, cell encapsulation, and chemical sensing. Soft materials are materials that are easily deformable by external stresses such as mechanical, electric, or magnetic fields, or even by thermal fluctuations. Examples of these materials include colloidal suspensions, complex fluids, polymer solutions, emulsions, and foams. Recent projects in our group include synthesis and encapsulation of bio-based phase change materials, fabrication of particles, the study of bilge water emulsions, and the development of PFAS-free firefighting foam formulations.

Latest News…

  • Congratulations to Liz and Ronaldo for Defending their Thesis!

    Congratulations to Liz Malek and Ronaldo Franjul, who have both successfully defended their thesis! 🎓 This milestone represents years of dedication, late nights, countless revisions, and perseverance. Both Liz and Ronaldo have shown remarkable commitment to their research, and we couldn’t be prouder of what they’ve accomplished.

  • Congratulations to Nicole and Liz!

    Congratulations to Nicole Franklin and Elizabeth Malek for their achievements at NanoArtography 2025! View their work and other winners here: NanoArtography 2025 Award Winners.

  • Congratulations to Ngan and Aryan!

    Congratulations to Ngan and Aryan!

    I’m thrilled to share that two of our outstanding undergraduate researchers, Ngan Dinh and Aryan, were honored at the 2025 Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium (SURF)! 🏆 Aryan received the Best Poster Award. 🎤 Ngan received the Best Research Talk Award. A huge thank you to our dedicated graduate lab mentors–Nicole, Liz, and Ronaldo– for guiding…