Graduate Student in Physics at Emory University
B.S., Rochester Insitute of Technology, 2006

Office: N118D Math & Science Center
            360B Emerson Hall

Phone: 727-0893 (Math & Science Center)
            727-4149 (Emerson Hall)

E-mail: kdesmond(at)physics(dot)emory(dot)edu

Research Interest

Jamming: Jamming is a physical process where the motion of the elements constituting a system become arrested due to the density reaching a critical point. This definition is very broad and applies to many systems such as traffic jams, clogging, and arrested motion in dense amorphous systems. I'm interested in whether or not there are universal properties that link these various cases of jamming together.

Viscoelasticity and Granular Matter: Today many research labs are committed to studying a class of "weird" materials called complex or viscoelastic fluids. We say these materials are "weird" because when subjected to certain stresses they exhibit flows reminiscent of classical fluids, but under different stress they harden like a solid. In addition to these complex fluids, granular matter also exhibits such behavior, acting like a fluid sometimes and solid other times. I'm interest is studying the rheology of complex fluids and granular media to aid in the development of constitutive laws.

Geometry: I've always enjoyed doing geometry, and so I always try to take on small computational projects that require a basic understanding of geometry.