What do plastics, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs and biomaterials all have in common? They are all soft matter, says physics professor An-Chang Shi of McMaster University.

Dr. Shi will discuss the intriguing properties of these materials in a free public lecture, entitled “Where Physics Meets Chemistry and Biology,” Thursday, March 10, at 3 p.m. in McPherson Lounge, Alumni Hall.

“Traditionally, soft matter is a research area populated by chemists and biologists, emphasizing the synthesis and characterization of these materials,” he says, but since the 1970s, physicists have contributed their insights to the field.

He will outline some recent studies in the area during his presentation, part of the Canadian Association of Physicists’ undergraduate lecture tour.