Prof. Bates’s research sits at the intersection of chemistry, materials science, and physics, leveraging a variety of synthetic and physical experimental techniques to design, create, and probe the structure and properties of soft matter. Current endeavors span a variety of topics including polymer mesostructure and dynamics, energy storage, and crystallization. Students in his research group will gain proficiency with numerous techniques useful in both academic and industrial settings, including small molecule and macromolecule synthesis, scattering and diffraction, rheology, electrochemistry, and thin film engineering.