

830: Physicist Figuring Out How Materials Deform and Fail - Dr. Karen Daniels
Sep 15, 2025
Dr. Karen Daniels, a physics professor at North Carolina State University, explores the fascinating world of material deformation and failure. She shares her insights on how materials transition from solid to fluid states, using everyday examples for clarity. Karen discusses her journey through academia, mentorship's impact, and her passion for travel and literature, including a book recommendation from N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy. She emphasizes the importance of adaptability in careers and finding genuine happiness in scientific pursuits.
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Materials That Act Like Both Solids And Fluids
- Granular materials can behave like fluids or solids depending on conditions such as flow and packing.
- Studying sand and dune shapes reveals underlying mechanisms of state changes in disordered materials.
Physics Tools Work Across Scales
- Physics provides a transferable toolbox for forces, energies, and interactions across scales.
- The same physical concepts apply from industrial processes to natural phenomena like landslides.
Embrace Dreams That Scare You
- Dream big even if your goals scare you; fear signals ambition, not failure.
- Break big dreams into smaller steps so you can make steady progress without being overwhelmed.