About Me
I obtained my doctorate at Wageningen University on a study on the statistical thermodynamics of fluids with orientation-dependent intermolecular interactions. After that I worked for a few years in industry (Akzo-Nobel central research). This experience convinced me that I preferred an academic workplace over industry, so I accepted a postdoc position at the University of Hull (UK). I came back to the Netherlands for a KNAW research fellowship, to work at the lab of Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science at Wageningen University, and later got an assistant professorship there. Before coming to UCR in 2020 I was an associate professor at Delft University for about ten years. My main expertise is in the physics and physical chemistry (including statistical thermodynamics and rheology) of what is called ‘soft matter’ or ‘complex fluids’. This includes colloidal systems, complex solutions including e.g. macromolecules, polyelectrolytes and/or surfactants. Such systems are omnipresent and occur in e.g. food, cosmetics and paint. Next to science I have an interest in philosophy. As a student of Molecular Sciences, I took several courses in philosophy, and I have continued reading philosophy since. After working for many years at ‘normal’ universities (of technology), I have high expectations of experiencing the culture of a Liberal Arts and Sciences college.
Selected Publications
- Liangyong Chu, Marcel Bus, Alexander V. Korobko, and Nicolaas A. M. Besseling. Calibrating lateral displacement sensitivity of afm by stick-slip on stiff, amorphous surfaces. Ultramicroscopy, 205:1–4, 2019.
- Zhen Liu, Stephen J. Picken, and Nicolaas A. M. Besseling. Polyborosiloxanes (pbss), synthetic kinetics, and characterization. Macromolecules, 47(14):4531–4537, 2014.
- Nicolaas A. M. Besseling and Alexander V. Korobko. Interacting living polymers confined between two surfaces. Phys. Rev. Lett., 111:186103, 2013.
- Yan, A. de Keizer, M. A. Cohen Stuart, and N. A. M. Besseling. From co- ordination polymers to hierarchical self-assembled structures. Adv. Polym. Sci., 242:91–115, 2011.
- T. Knuiman, P. A. Barneveld, and N.A.M. Besseling. On the relation between the fundamental equation of thermodynamics and the energy balance equation in the context of closed and open systems. J. Chem. Ed., 89:968–972, 2012.
- Sprakel, J. van der Gucht, M.A. Cohen Stuart, and N.A.M. Besseling. Brownian Particles in Transient Polymer Networks. Phys. Rev. E, 77(6):061502/1–10, 2008.
- van der Gucht, M. Lemmers, W. Knoben, N.A.M. Besseling, and M.P. Lettinga. Multiple Shear-Banding Transitions in a Supramolecular Polymer Solution. Phys. Rev. Lett., 97(10):108301/1–4, 2006.
- Knoben, N.A.M. Besseling, and M.A. Cohen Stuart. Long-Range Depletion Forces induced by Associating Small Molecules. Phys. Rev. Lett., 97(6):068301/1– 4, 2006.
- K. Wijting, N.A.M. Besseling, and M.A. Cohen Stuart. Wetting in a Colloidal Liquid-Gas System. Phys. Rev. Lett., 90(19):196101/1–4, 2003.
- van der Gucht, N.A.M. Besseling, and M.A. Cohen Stuart. Surface Forces, Supramolecular Polymers, and Inversion Symmetry. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 124(21):6202–6205, 2002.
- N.A.M. Besseling. Theory of Hydration Forces Between Surfaces. Langmuir, 13(7):2113–2122, 1997