Biography

Erik Lascaris is currently an Assistant Professor at Pace University. After receiving his engineering degree in Applied Physics from the University of Twente, Netherlands in 2006, he continued his studies at Boston University where in 2014 he received his Physics Ph.D. for his studies on Liquid-Liquid Phase Transitions. Being a valued teacher as well as researcher, Boston University awarded him with both a Lecturer position in addition to a Postdoctoral Associate research position. In 2018 he left Boston for New York City and joined the Department of Chemistry & Physical Sciences at Pace University. His research is a continuation and expansion of his Ph.D. studies; focusing on the rich field of fluid behavior at the molecular level.



Research

My primary research question is: how can we apply and improve computer simulations to better understand and predict the behavior of fluids at the molecular level, and determine their macroscopic properties? This research involves techniques such as Molecular Dynamics simulations, coarse-graining models, multi-scale physics, etc. and includes the development of new methods and algorithms.

Several of the projects I have been working on are listed below.


Liquid-liquid phase transitions, in water and other tetrahedral liquids

Project in collaboration with Arizona State University, Princeton University, University of Houston, and many others.

We employ computer simulations and statistical physics to understand the origin of liquid-liquid phase transitions and their relationship with anomalies typical of liquid water.

Compared with other liquids, water has many anomalies. For example the density anomaly: when water is cooled below 4 C the density decreases rather than increases. This and other anomalies have also been found to occur in a few other one component liquids, sometimes in conjunction with the existence of a liquid-liquid phase transition (LLPT) between a low-density liquid (LDL) and a high-density liquid (HDL).


Bio-plastics

Project in collaboration with MHG Biopolymers

Paper is easy to recycle (and is biodegradable), but paper products are often hard to recycle because of the polyethylene coating. Biodegradable plastics and bio-sourced products from polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and polylactide (PLA) can be used to develop a more environmentally friendly coating. A bio-friendly coating would reduce the number of trees necessary for the same amount of paper because more can be recycled. In addition, the paper products with bio-friendly coating can be composted and thus used to grow new trees.

Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations can be used to determine the types of additives that would improve the solubility of the bio-polymers. Solubility is a molecular-level problem, and hence MD is a great tool to understand the mechanisms involved.


Visco-elastic surfactants

Project in collaboration with Schlumberger-Doll Research

Aqueous fluids of polymers and amphiphiles are commonly used in fracturing applications to increase the viscosity of the fracking fluids to allow them to carry large amounts of sand or proppants. Traditional polymer-based fracking fluids work well but can leave behind residue, leading to a reduction of fracture permeability and the buildup of filter cake. Visco-elastic surfactants (VES) may provide a better alternative, as these fluids obtain their rheological properties via the entanglement of worm-shaped micelles and produce little residue after fracturing. However, although VES systems provide simple operation, they are ideal fluids only in low-temperatures wells because of their poor high-temperature stability.

For reasons of safety, cost, and complexity, laboratory research done on VES fluids is often limited to temperatures below 100 C and ambient pressure. The behavior of these fluids at downhole conditions is thus poorly understood, which could result in an over- or under-engineering of fluids for fracturing applications. Computer simulations such as the Molecular Dynamics method can help to understand and predict properties of these water-amphiphile systems at downhole conditions.



Teaching

With my enthusiasm for science and teaching I create a fun and exciting learning environment that stimulates my students to work hard and learn as much as they can. My goal is to have my students enjoy learning about physics and how the world works, and help them be better prepared for their studies and their future career.


Current courses at Pace University:

PHY-112 Physics 2, Summer-II 2019 (4 credits)<.p>

PHY-111 Physics 1, Summer-I 2019 (4 credits)<.p>

PHY-101/111 Physics 1, Spring 2019 (4 credits)

PHY-102/112 Physics 2, Fall 2018 (4 credits)


Past courses at Boston University:

PY105 Elementary Physics 1, Summer-I 2018 (4 credits)

PY106 Elementary Physics 2, Summer-I 2018 (4 credits)

PY105 Elementary Physics 1, Spring 2018 (4 credits)

PY106 Elementary Physics 2, Fall 2017 (4 credits)

PY105 Elementary Physics 1, Summer-II 2017 (4 credits)

PY105 Elementary Physics 1, Spring 2017 (4 credits)
Elementary Physics 1 (CAS PY 105) sequence satisfies premedical requirements; presupposes knowledge of algebra and trigonometry. Principles of classical and modern physics, mechanics, conservation laws, and heat.
Students must register for three sections: a lecture section, a discussion section, and a laboratory section.

PY106 Elementary Physics 2, Fall 2016 (4 credits)
Elementary Physics 2 (CAS PY 106) satisfies premedical requirements; presupposes knowledge of algebra and trigonometry. PY106 covers the principles of classical and modern physics: electricity and magnetism, waves, optics, light, atomic and nuclear physics.
Students must register for three sections: a lecture section, discussion section, and laboratory section.



Curriculum Vitae

Key skills

  Modeling complex molecular systems, from liquid water to crystal lattices to large cross-linked network structures

  Molecular Dynamics expert, able to develop home-made code as well as adding code to existing software such as Gromacs and LAMMPS

  Able to explain and teach difficult concepts in a manner anyone can understand

  Expert in computer systems, from developing parallel computing software to fixing hardware to building RAIDs


Honors & Awards:

2017: Schlumberger / Boston University Research Fellowship Grant (extended)

2016: Schlumberger / Boston University Research Fellowship Grant

2015: Teaching-As-Research (TAR) Fellowship (Boston University)

2010: Chair's book award for Excellence in Teaching (Boston University)

2006: Teaching Fellowship (Boston University)

2004: CERN summer student (CERN, Geneva, Switzerland)


Education:


Research Experience:


Conference Presentations:


Teaching Experience:


Miscellaneous Interests:



Publications

As indicated by Google Scholar, my publications have currently been cited over 200 times. Click on a link below to access the PDF of one of these manuscripts

  1. JCP Renjie Chen, Erik Lascaris, and Jeremy C. Palmer,
    Liquid-liquid Phase Transition in an Ionic Model of Silica (PDF),
    J. of Chem. Phys. 146, 234503 (2017)
    doi:10.1063/1.4984335

  2. P. Gallo, K. Amann-Winkel, C. A. Angell, M. A. Anisimov, F. Caupin, C. Chakravarty, Erik Lascaris, T. Loerting, A. Z. Panagiotopoulos, J. Russo, J. A. Sellberg, H. E. Stanley, H. Tanaka, C. Vega, L. Xu, and L. G. M. Pettersson,
    Water: A Tale of Two Liquids (PDF),
    Chem. Rev. 116, 7463-7500 (2016)
    doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00750

  3. PRL Erik Lascaris
    Tunable Liquid-Liquid Critical Point in an Ionic Model of Silica (PDF),
    Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 125701 (2016)
    doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.125701

  4. JCP Erik Lascaris, M. Hemmati, S. V. Buldyrev, H. E. Stanley, and C. A. Angell,
    Diffusivity and Short-Time Dynamics in Two Models of Silica (PDF),
    J. of Chem. Phys. 142, 104506 (2015)
    doi:10.1063/1.4913747

  5. JCP Erik Lascaris, M. Hemmati, S. V. Buldyrev, H. E. Stanley, and C. A. Angell,
    Search for a Liquid-Liquid Critical Point in Models of Silica (PDF),
    J. of Chem. Phys. 140, 224502 (2014)
    doi:10.1063/1.4879057

  6. PRL J. Luo, L. Xu, Erik Lascaris, H. E. Stanley, and S. V. Buldyrev,
    Behavior of the Widom Line in Critical Phenomena (PDF),
    Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 135701 (2014)
    doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.135701

  7. JCP T. A. Kesselring, Erik Lascaris, G. Franzese, S. V. Buldyrev, H. J. Herrmann, and H. E. Stanley,
    Finite-size scaling investigation of the liquid-liquid critical point in ST2 water and its stability with respect to crystallization (PDF),
    J. of Chem. Phys. 138, 244506 (2013)
    doi:10.1063/1.4808355

  8. Erik Lascaris, T. A. Kesselring, G. Franzese, S. V. Buldyrev, H. J. Herrmann, and H. E. Stanley,
    Response Functions near the Liquid-Liquid Critical Point of ST2 Water (PDF),
    AIP Conf. Proc. 1518, 520 (2013)
    doi:10.1063/1.4794628

  9. PRE Erik Lascaris, G. Malescio, S. V. Buldyrev, and H. E. Stanley,
    Cluster formation, waterlike anomalies, and re-entrant melting for a family of bounded repulsive interaction potentials (PDF),
    Phys. Rev. E 81, 031201 (2010)
    doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.81.031201

  10. J. Colle, Erik Lascaris, and I. C. Tánczos,
    The HiSPARC project; Science, technology and education (PDF),
    AIP Conf. Proc. 944, 44 (2007)
    doi:10.1063/1.2818548


Contact

Email:
elascaris at pace.edu

Office Address:
Erik Lascaris
1 Pace Plaza, room W-318
New York, NY 10038 United States of America

ResearchGate:
www.researchgate.net/profile/Erik_Lascaris

 LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/in/erik-lascaris-84859023/

ORCID:
0000-0002-4385-1740