Moumita Das

Associate Professor

School of Physics and Astronomy

College of Science

Program Faculty, School of Mathematical Sciences

modsps@rit.edu

585-475-5135

Office Location

GOS-3338

Office Mailing Address

School of Physics and Astronomy, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623

Moumita Das

Associate Professor

School of Physics and Astronomy

College of Science

Program Faculty, School of Mathematical Sciences

Education

BS, MS, Jadavpur University (India); Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science (India); Postdoc, Harvard University, UCLA, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (The Netherlands)

Bio

I am interested in collective behavior in soft materials, particularly biological systems that involve an interplay between mechanics, (equilibrium or non-equilibrium) statistical mechanics, geometry, and structural properties.

modsps@rit.edu

585-475-5135

Personal Links

Curriculum Vitae

Google Scholar

Areas of Expertise

Physics

Mathematical Modeling

Currently Teaching

MATH-790

Research & Thesis

0 - 9 Credits

Masters-level research by the candidate on an appropriate topic as arranged between the candidate and the research advisor.

PHYS-214

Modern Physics II

3 Credits

This course is a continuation of a survey of modern physics beyond the topics introduced in Modern Physics I. Central topics include the physics of multi-electron atoms, molecular structure, fundamentals of statistical physics applied to systems of particles, elementary solid-state physics, applications to semiconductor materials and simple devices, and basic elements of nuclear physics.

MTSE-790

Research & Thesis

1 - 9 Credits

Dissertation research by the candidate for an appropriate topic as arranged between the candidate and the research advisor.

PHYS-495

Advanced Physics Research

1 - 3 Credits

This course is a faculty-directed student project or research involving laboratory work, computer modeling, or theoretical calculations that could be considered of an original nature. The level of study is appropriate for students in their final two years of study.

PHYS-211

University Physics I

4 Credits

This is a course in calculus-based physics for science and engineering majors. Topics include kinematics, planar motion, Newton's Laws, gravitation, work and energy, momentum and impulse, conservation laws, systems of particles, rotational motion, static equilibrium, mechanical oscillations and waves, and data presentation/analysis. The course is taught in a workshop format that integrates the material traditionally found in separate lecture and laboratory courses.

In the News

January 15, 2021

College of Science experiences boom in sponsored research

Several School of Physics and Astronomy faculty secured large grants as principal investigators during a banner summer.
October 21, 2020

RIT scientist receives NSF funding to explore cellular compartmentalization in bacteria

Moumita Das, an associate professor in RIT’s School of Physics and Astronomy, received funding from the National Science Foundation to better understand the fundamental rules that allow bacteria to compartmentalize the functions within their cells.
November 5, 2019

RIT researchers working to build the basis of life

WROC-TV talks to Moumita Das, associate professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy, about her work with neurons and an NSF-funded project to build synthetic neurons.

More News

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Journal Paper

Francis, Madison, et al. "Non-monotonic dependence of stiffness on actin crosslinking in cytoskeleton composites." Soft Matter 15. (2019): 9056. Print.

Farhadi, Leila, et al. "Actin and microtubule crosslinkers tune mobility and control co-localization in a composite cytoskeletal network." Soft Matter. (2020): Advance article. Web.

Kornick, K., et al. "Population Dynamics of Mitochondria in Mammalian Cells: A Minimal Mathematical Model." Frontiers in Physics 7. (2019): 146. Web.

Gurmessa, B., et al. "Triggered Disassembly and Reassembly of Actin Networks Induce Rigidity Phase Transitions." Soft Matter 15. (2019): 1335. Print.

Gurmessa, B., et al. "Counterion crossbridges enable robust multiscale elasticity in actin networks." Physical Review Research 1. (2019): 13016. Web.

Ricketts, Shea, et al. "Varying crosslinking motifs drive the mesoscale mechanics of actin-microtubule composites." Scientific Reports 246. (2019): 12831. Web.

Song, W, et al. "Dynamic Self-Organization of Microwell-Aggregated Cellular Mixtures." Soft Matter 12. (2016): 5739--5746. Print.

Silverberg, J.L., et al. "Structure-function relations and rigidity percolation in the shear properties of neonatal bovine articular cartilage." Biophysical Journal 107. (2014): 1721. Print.

Invited Keynote/Presentation

Das, Moumita. "Phase Separation Dynamics of Cell Co-cultures with Different Mechano-adhesive Properties." Bridging Cellular and Tissue Dynamics from Normal Development to Cancer: Mathematical, Computational, and Experimental Approaches. BIRS. Banff, Alberta, CA. 17 Jun. 2019. Conference Presentation.

Das, Moumita. "Mechanical Structure Function Properties of Subcellular and Extracellular Networks." Stochastic Physics in Biology. Gordon Research Conference. Ventura, CA. 8 Jan. 2019. Conference Presentation.

Das, Moumita. "Structure function properties of extracellular networks: Mechanics and crack propagation." Generation and Control of Forces in Cells. NORDITA. Stockholm, Sweden. 14 Jun. 2018. Conference Presentation.

Das, Moumita. "Collective behavior underlying biological response: Role of criticality and hetero-geneity." Non-Classical behaviors in Biological Matter. Johns Hopkins University and AFOSR. Arlngton, VA. 24 Sep. 2019. Conference Presentation.