Ahmad Omar is an assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. His research group leverages statistical mechanics and computer simulations to understand the emergent properties of soft condensed matter. By bridging microscopic details with macroscopic phenomena, the Omar lab explores diverse areas such as the self-assembly of complex phases and the dynamics of active matter. Their work focuses on the interplay between thermodynamic and dissipative forces, utilizing coarse-grained modeling to make meaningful, experimentally verifiable predictions.
QB3-Berkeley: How would you explain “soft condensed matter” to a non-scientist?
Ahmad Omar: Soft condensed matter is essentially the “squishy” stuff that living things are made of. While hard materials like rocks or diamonds hold their shape and liquids flow freely, soft materials sit somewhere in between. They’re made of large building blocks—like proteins, DNA, polymers, or colloids—that give them unusual mechanical and thermodynamic properties. Blood, tissue, and cells are all examples of soft matter.
My group studies how these properties emerge from molecular interactions, using theory and computation to uncover the fundamental physics that governs soft materials.
QB3: What makes the interdisciplinary community at QB3-Berkeley a good fit for your lab’s research?
AO: The core of my group’s work is developing theoretical frameworks to understand soft materials, including in biological contexts. These ideas don’t just help explain how living systems function but can also guide the design of new biomaterials with improved performance.
QB3 is an ideal environment for this work because it brings together leading researchers across theory, computation, and experimentation. That kind of interdisciplinary community makes it possible to connect fundamental physics to real biological and medical applications.
Was there a specific moment or experience in your early life that sparked your interest in becoming a scientist?
AO: There wasn’t a single defining moment that set me on this path. In fact, I wasn’t even sure I would pursue science until after my freshman year of college.
I always enjoyed science, but I struggled with experimental work due to my physical limitations and was considering other career paths. What changed things for me was finding mentors who introduced me to computational and theoretical chemistry. That opened up a way for me to engage deeply with science—and ultimately led me to where I am today.
QB3: When you aren’t in the lab or the classroom, what’s your favorite way to spend time in the Bay Area?
AO: I enjoy spending weekends exploring new parts of the Bay Area with my family and friends. There is always a new neighborhood to visit or park to explore!
QB3: How do you describe your lab’s culture, and what do you find most rewarding about working with trainees?
AO: My group is at an exciting stage as we’ve just graduated our first two Ph.D. students, and three more will follow this spring.
The most rewarding part of my job is watching trainees grow into independent scientists. I’m proud that our group culture is collaborative, curious, and supportive, while still maintaining a high standard of scientific rigor.