Sorell S. Massenburg
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Sorell S. Massenburg is a Ph.D. Candidate in Applied Physics at Harvard University's School of Engineering and Applied Science. Beginning in Astrophysics Research as a high school student, Sorell pivoted towards Experimental Soft Condensed matter while studying at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There, he studied the effects of Cystic Fibrosis on the rheological properties of human airway mucus and on the motion of the cilia. As an undergraduate, Sorell participated in the Harvard MRSEC summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. During the summer REU program he participated in self-assembly research in the Manoharan lab, investigating methods to aggregate colloidal clusters and then separate them for eventual use in self-assembly. Sorell is currently using microfluidic techniques as a tool for new scientific inquiry and new technology. He is using microfluidics to understand membrane filters by studying the influence of pore morphology on clogging behavior. Sorell is also working on a microfluidic nebulator to create nanoscale particles for drug delivery. He is also dedicated to undergraduate teaching and mentorship. Sorell has participated in the MRSEC REU program as a graduate student mentor, served as a Teaching Fellow for the "Science and Cooking" course and frequently serves as an advisor to physics and engineering undergraduates. Sorell will be finishing his Ph.D. this semester and starting his new position at a software company in Lexington, MA in April.