William R. Schowalter

He conducts research on the mechanics of rheologically complex fluids. These include polymer melts, polymer solutions, and colloidal dispersions. The flow behavior of these fluids at boundaries, when slip sometimes appears to occur, has been of particular interest. Also, the dynamics of coagulation of colloidal dispersions has been studied, with special attention to the interplay between hydrodynamic and physicochemical forces. The effect of flow on the structure of concentrated suspensions is another area of interest.