IIP Placements in Norway
University of Oslo, Department of Physics **NEW**
Location: Oslo, Norway
The Complex Systems and Soft Materials group is one of the largest physics research networks in Norway (www.complexphysics.org/). It consists of scientists from the University of Oslo, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and Institute for Energy Technology. A wide range of topics are pursued, including pattern formation in complex fluids, multiphase flows, granular materials, fracture, soft materials, and nanoscience. IIP interns will work as members of a dynamic research group and gain experience in planning and execution of projects at the forefront of international research on complex materials. The group has a range of advanced scientific instruments and imaging equipment available and strong activity in simulation and theoretical modeling of non-equilibrium systems. The IIP interns will be able to choose a project that they find interesting, run experiments, and analyze and present their findings. Typically a project involves building or modifying simple bench-top experimental setups and running a series of experiments where a few parameters of interest are varied. From the collected data, one then aims to build an understanding of the physical mechanisms and forces that generate the observed patterns. This placement is ideal for IIP candidates with interests in physics. Two placements have been established for International Internship Program (IIP) interns. Possible projects may include the following (several other projects will also be available):
- Hydraulic fracturing: Study the dynamics of fracture propagation in deformable materials upon injection of pressurized fluids. Do the fractures behave differently if we change the rate of injection or the compressibility of the fluid?
- Frictional fingering: We have discovered a new pattern formation process that results in labyrinthine structures in fully dried out granular mixtures. But what happens if we instead inject air and let the structure grow freely? Will we get branching fractals?
- Braided rivers in the lab: We can make miniature rivers in the lab by letting a small stream of water flow across layer of granular material. How can we characterize the dynamics of this river, e.g. how often does it change direction, and what are the distributions of wet/dry periods for a given place?