On September 12, the Institute for Polymers and Composites (IPC) welcomed Thomas Gibaud, Research Director at the CNRS in the Physics Laboratory of the École Nationale Supérieure de Lyon (France), for a lecture entitled “Tales from the Soft Side of Science: Shake, Shear, Stir and Repeat – Confessions of a Gel Whisperer.” The event marked the beginning of his one-year stay as a visiting professor at the IPC.

A specialist in soft matter, Thomas Gibaud is dedicated to studying colloidal particle gels and understanding how their mechanical behavior can be controlled through external stimuli such as shear and high-power ultrasound. At the IPC, he will work closely with Loïc Hilliou, focusing on projects involving carrageenan, a natural polymer of great scientific and industrial relevance. Gibaud’s research aims to understand and tune the mechanical properties of gels through the application of external forces, linking their physical behavior to the microscopic structures that compose them. To achieve this, he combines microscopy and X-ray scattering techniques with rheological measurements, bridging the gap between fundamental science and practical applications.

Thomas Gibaud intends to share his experience and innovative approaches to the study of soft materials with the scientific community. His previous work explores, for example, the early stages of cheese production from the perspective of gel physics and the aging of colloidal networks, analyzes how carbon black gels respond to shear and “remember” their mechanical history, and investigates the impact of ultrasound on the properties and behavior of soft materials. These studies highlight the potential of ultrasound as a versatile tool to tune, in real time, the behavior and stability of colloidal systems, with promising applications in industrial and technological processes.

The visit of Thomas Gibaud represents a unique opportunity for knowledge exchange and the creation of new scientific synergies within the IPC. His integration into the Institute strengthens its role as a reference center in polymer and composite materials research and development, consolidating its position as an institution that combines scientific rigor, innovation, and technological impact. This moment also marks the beginning of a collaboration expected to be fruitful and inspiring, contributing to expanding the reach and international visibility of the research carried out at the Institute.