Dr. Lawrence William HONAKER

Lawrence (Larry) Honaker is a postdoctoral researcher in the Experimental Soft Matter Physics Group of Professor Jan Lagerwall within the Department of Physics and Materials Science at the University of Luxembourg. He is funded by a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action Postdoctoral Fellowship (TECHSTILE).

His current research deals with fibers incorporating technology and sensors based on liquid crystals and liquid armor. Interests also include liquid crystal-based sensing in general and the self-assembly behavior of supramolecular complexes. His publishing history can be seen on his ORCiD profile.

He has supervised/co-supervised a total of 11 B.Sc. and M.Sc. theses between University of Luxembourg and Wageningen University, as well as three summer project students in the framework of National Science Foundation-funded projects. He has further supervised and taught laboratory and theory courses at Bachelor’s and Master’s levels (General Chemistry 1 and 2, Introductory Thermodynamics, Electricity and Magnetism, Advanced Soft Matter, and Introductory Physics 1 and 2).

He participates regularly in outreach initiatives of the Luxembourg National Research Fund (Chercheurs à l’école, Portes Ouvertes, Science Festival…) and of the University of Luxembourg (TEDx Luxembourg as well as organizing conferences and meetings).

2024: Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action Postdoctoral Fellowship, European Commission.

2018: Best Young Researcher Award, German Liquid Crystal Society.

2015: Aide à la formation–recherche Ph.D. grant, Luxembourg National Research Fund.

2024–current: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Experimental Soft Matter Physics Group, University of Luxembourg.

2020–2024: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Emergent Biological Systems Group, Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University & Research.

2019–2020: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Experimental Soft Matter Physics Group, University of Luxembourg.

2015–2019: Ph.D. Student Researcher, Experimental Soft Matter Physics Group, University of Luxembourg.

2012–2015: Graduate Assistant, Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University

2019 – Ph.D. in Physics, University of Luxembourg.

2014 – M.S. in Chemical Physics, Kent State University

2011 – A.B. in Physics, Ripon College.