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Polymer Physics

Gordon Research Conference

Linking Polymer Design, Structure, and Properties

July 26 - 31, 2026

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GRC Education Requirements: Undergraduates or those who have not obtained a bachelor's degree in science/engineering (or acceptable equivalent) are not eligible to apply to attend Gordon Research Conferences or Seminars.

Chair

Vice Chair

Mount Holyoke College

50 College Street

South Hadley, Massachusetts, United States

Venue and Travel Information

Application Information

Applications for this meeting must be submitted by June 28, 2026. Please apply early, as some meetings become oversubscribed (full) before this deadline. If the meeting is oversubscribed, it will be stated here. Note: Applications for oversubscribed meetings will only be considered by the conference chair if more seats become available due to cancellations.

Conference Description

The Polymer Physics GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes an array of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.

Related Meeting

This GRC will be held in conjunction with the "Polymer Physics" Gordon Research Seminar (GRS). Those interested in attending both meetings must submit an application for the GRS in addition to an application for the GRC. Refer to the associated GRS program page for more information.

Conference Program

Sunday
2:00 pm - 9:00 pm	Arrival and Check-in
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm	Introductory Comments by GRC Staff / Welcome and Introduction from the Chairs
7:40 pm - 9:30 pm	Keynote Session: Polymer Melts and Crystallization Discussion Leaders: and
7:40 pm - 7:50 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:50 pm - 8:25 pm	"How Many Tie Chains are Needed for a Semicrystalline Polymer to be Ductile?"
8:25 pm - 8:40 pm	Discussion
8:40 pm - 9:15 pm	"Melt Memory of Semi-Crystalline Polymers: How Chains Remember the Conformations They Had in the Crystalline State"
9:15 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Monday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am	Group Photo
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Polymer Design, Structure, and Dynamics Using Theory, Computations, and Experiments Discussion Leaders: , and
9:00 am - 9:05 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:05 am - 9:25 am	"Combining Machine Learning and Integral Equation Theory for Sustainable Polymer Design"
9:25 am - 9:35 am	Discussion
9:35 am - 9:55 am	"Microbial Interactions Guided by Dynamic Polymer Assemblies"
9:55 am - 10:05 am	Discussion
10:05 am - 10:25 am	"Physical Aging in Rigid Polymers: Bridging Polymer Physics and Membrane Science"
10:25 am - 10:35 am	Discussion
10:35 am - 11:00 am	Coffee Break
11:00 am - 11:20 am	"Using Mixed Dynamic Bonds To Control Relaxation Processes in Dynamic Covalent Networks"
11:20 am - 11:30 am	Discussion
11:30 am - 11:50 am	"Interfacial Effects in Polymer Thin Films"
11:50 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:20 pm	"Gold-Catalyzed Upcycling of Aromatic Thermoplastics"
12:20 pm - 12:30 pm	Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Polymer Networks and Gels Discussion Leaders: and
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:40 pm - 8:15 pm	"Adhesive Failure in Soft Polymer Networks: Revisiting the Picture of Alan Gent"
8:15 pm - 8:30 pm	Discussion
8:30 pm - 9:05 pm	"Bottlebrush Polymers, Networks, and Gels"
9:05 pm - 9:20 pm	Discussion
9:20 pm - 9:30 pm	General Discussion
Tuesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Automation and High-Throughput Experimentation Discussion Leaders: and
9:00 am - 9:10 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:45 am	"Engineering Polymer Morphology: Where Machine Learning Succeeds and Stumbles"
9:45 am - 10:00 am	Discussion
10:00 am - 10:30 am	Coffee Break
10:30 am - 11:05 am	"Integrating Physics, Chemistry, and Formulation Intuition into the Autonomous Formulation Lab"
11:05 am - 11:20 am	Discussion
11:20 am - 11:55 am	"Resonant Soft X-Ray Scattering for Polymer Microstructure and Morphology"
11:55 am - 12:10 pm	Discussion
12:10 pm - 12:30 pm	General Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Polymer Not at or Far from Equilibrium Discussion Leaders: and
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:40 pm - 8:15 pm	"Modeling the Nonlinear Mechanics and Rheology of Associative Copolymer Materials"
8:15 pm - 8:30 pm	Discussion
8:30 pm - 9:05 pm	"Polymer Dynamics from Nanoparticle Dynamics"
9:05 pm - 9:20 pm	Discussion
9:20 pm - 9:30 pm	General Discussion
Wednesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Polymer Physics Problems from Other Fields Discussion Leaders: and
9:00 am - 9:10 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:45 am	"Polymers as Neuromorphic Materials"
9:45 am - 10:00 am	Discussion
10:00 am - 10:30 am	Coffee Break
10:30 am - 11:05 am	"Designing Polymers for Physics: Ultra-Long Chains, Programmable Breakpoints, and Dynamic Networks"
11:05 am - 11:20 am	Discussion
11:20 am - 11:55 am	"The Importance of Block Number and Sequence in the Properties of Thermoresponsive Polymers"
11:55 am - 12:10 pm	Discussion
12:10 pm - 12:30 pm	General Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Polymer Physics in Industry Discussion Leaders: and
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:40 pm - 8:15 pm	"Leveraging Nature's Backbones for Consumer Product Development"
8:15 pm - 8:30 pm	Discussion
8:30 pm - 9:05 pm	"Experiments, Modeling, and AI in Industry - A Polymer Discovery Story"
9:05 pm - 9:20 pm	Discussion
9:20 pm - 9:30 pm	General Discussion
Thursday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am	Business Meeting Nominations for the Next Vice Chair(s); Complete the GRC Evaluation Forms; Election of the Next Vice Chair(s)
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Linking Computations to Experiments Discussion Leaders: and
9:00 am - 9:10 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:45 am	"Entropic Effects in Polyelectrolyte Complexation"
9:45 am - 10:00 am	Discussion
10:00 am - 10:30 am	Coffee Break
10:30 am - 11:05 am	"Cooperativity and Universality in Active and Reversible Hydrogels"
11:05 am - 11:20 am	Discussion
11:20 am - 11:55 am	"Understanding Chain Architecture Effects in Bottlebrush Polymers: From Multiscale Simulation to Graph Networks"
11:55 am - 12:10 pm	Discussion
12:10 pm - 12:30 pm	General Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Keynote Session: Nanocomposites, Glasses and Ionically Conducting Polymers Discussion Leaders: and
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:40 pm - 8:15 pm	"Theory of Structure, Ion Hopping, Segmental Relaxation, and Conductivity in Polymerized Ionic Liquids and Glasses"
8:15 pm - 8:30 pm	Discussion
8:30 pm - 9:05 pm	"Anisotropy in Polymer Nanocomposites: Interplay of Structure and Kinetics"
9:05 pm - 9:20 pm	Discussion
9:20 pm - 9:30 pm	Closing Remarks
Friday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am	Departure

Contributors

Jaya Jayaraman

Conference Links

Conference History Polymer Physics (GRS) Contribute Financially to This Conference

Conference Fees

Similar Conferences

Poster Information

Poster sessions are an integral part of the our conferences, and offer all conferees an opportunity to discuss their research.

Preparing your GRC poster

Funding Opportunities

Financial assistance is available beginning in 2026 for qualified applicants through the Carl Storm Opportunity Fellowships program. Learn more.

Registration Fees

Conferee Single Room:

$1,140.00

Conferee Shared Room:

$1,045.00

Conferee Off-Site:

$870.00

Guest Single Room:

$920.00

Guest Shared Room:

$825.00

Guest Off-Site:

$650.00

Child 4-12 yrs Shared Room:

$413.00

Child 4-12 yrs Off-Site:

$325.00

Child Under 4 yrs Shared Room:

Free

Child Under 4 yrs Off-Site:

Free

Bus Arriving:

$65.00

Bus Departing:

$65.00

Additional Fee Info

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