Michael Thorpe
Foundation Professor,
Center for Biological Physics
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Phone: 480-965-3085
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PSF 385 TEMPE, AZ 85287-1504
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Long Bio
In 2003, Michael Thorpe joined Arizona State University as Foundation Professor, and later became the founding director of the Center for Biological Physics. He previously held faculty appointments at Yale University and Michigan State University where he retired in 2002 as University Distinguished Professor. His research interests are in the theory of disordered systems, with a special emphasis on properties that are determined by geometry and topology. He has a research background in condensed matter theory, and in recent years has developed the mathematical theory of flexibility and mobility for use in glassy networks, and also in crystalline materials with disorder. His has alsom worked in biological physics. The flexible regions in proteins and protein complexes are determined from the x-ray crystallographic structure. These are used to determine dynamical pathways between different protein conformations using geometric simulation techniques. Proteins are stable enough to maintain a three-dimensional structure, but flexible enough for biological function.
The aim of all his research work is to find underlying topological and structural principles and unifying concepts. He retired from ASU in 2019 and now works as a sculptor in Sedona. (www. miket.webhop.net).
Education
D.Phil. University of Oxford, U.K. 1968
Research Interests
Materials Physics and Biophysics
Publications
- Avishek Kumar, David Sherrington, Mark Wilson and M. F. Thorpe. Ring statistics of silica bilayers. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter (2014).
- A.J. Mott, S. P. Thirumuruganandham, M. F. Thorpe and Peter Rez. Fast Calculation of the Infrared Spectra of Large Biomolecules. European Biophysics Journal (2013).
- Eric I. Corwin, Robin Stinchcombe and M.F Thorpe. Universal Behavior for Bond Percolation. Phys. Rev E (2013).
- M.F. Thorpe and A. Wright. Eighty years of random networks. Phys. Status Solidi B (2013).
- Mark Wilson, Avishek Kumar, David Sherrington and M.F. Thorpe. Modeling vitreous silica bilayers. Phys. Rev. B (2013).
- R.B. Stinchcombe and M.F. Thorpe. Two exactly soluble models of rigidity percolation. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A (2013).
- B. Servatius, H. Servatius and M.F. Thorpe. Zeolites: Geometry and Combinatorics. International Journal of Chemical Modeling (2012).
- Colby Dawson, Vitaliy Kapko, M.F. Thorpe, Martin D. Foster and Michael M.J. Treacy. Flexibility as an indicator of Feasibility of Zeolite Formation. Journal of Physical Chemistry (2012).
- Dinh Van Tuan, Avishek Kumar, Stephan Roche, Frank Ortmann, M.F. Thorpe and Pablo Ordejon. Electronic Transport in Amorphous Graphene. Physical Review B (2012).
- Justin Spiriti, Hiqmet Kamberaj, Adam de Graff, M. F. Thorpe and Arjan van der Vaart. DNA bending through large angles is aided by ionic screening. Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation (2012).
- Mark Wilson, Avishek Kumar and M.F. Thorpe. Amorphous graphene: a realization of Zachariasen's glass. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter (2012).
- T.J. Glembo, D.W. Farrell, M.F. Thorpe and S. B. Ozkan. Collective dynamics differentiates functional divergence in protein evolution. PLoS Computational Biology (2012).
- Adam M. R. de Graff, Gareth Shannon, Dan Farrell, Phil Williams and M. F. Thorpe. Protein Unfolding Under Force: Crack Propagation in a Network. Biophysical Journal (2011).
- Daniel W. Farrell, Ming Lei and M. F. Thorpe. Comparison of pathways from geometric targeting method and targeted molecular dynamics in Nitrogen Regulatory Protein C. Physical Biology (2011).
- Y. Li, F. Inam. Avishek Kumar, M.F. Thorpe and D.A Drabold. Pentagonal puckering in a sheet of amorphous graphene. Phys. Status Solidi (2011).
- Adam M.R. de Graff and M.F. Thorpe. The long-wavelength limit of the structure factor of amorphous silicon and vitreous silica. Acta Cryst (2010).
- Daniel W. Farrell, Kirill Speranskiy and M. F. Thorpe. Generating Stereochemically Acceptable Protein Pathways. Proteins; Structure, Function and Bioinformatics (2010).
- V. Kapko, C. Dawson, M.M.J. Treacy and M.F. Thorpe. Flexibility of Ideal Zeolite Frameworks. Flexibility of Ideal Zeolite Frameworks (2010).
- V. Kapko, D. A. Drabold and M. F. Thorpe. Electronic structure of a realistic model of amorphous graphene. Physica Status Solidi (Editor's choice article) (2010).
- M.F. Thorpe. Flexibility and Mobility in Networks. Encyclopedia of Complexity and Systems Science, Ed. by Robert A. Meyers, Springer, New York (2009).
- Ming Lei, Adam M. R. de Graff, M.F. Thorpe, Stephen A. Wells and Asel Sartbaeva. Uncovering the intrinsic geometry from the atomic pair distribution function of nanomaterials. Physical Review (2009).
- S.A. Menor, Adam M.R. de Graff and M.F. Thorp. Hierarchical plasticity from pair distance fluctuations. Physical Biology (2009).
- Vitaliy Kapko, M.M.J. Treacy, M.F. Thorpe and S.D. Guest. On the Collapse of Locally Isostatic Networks. Proc. Roy . Soc. A, 465, 3517-3530, (2009) (2009).
- C. Jolley, Petra Fromme, Stephen Wells, Petra Fromme, Michael Thorpe. Flexible Low-Resolution Cyo-EM maps of Proteins using using constrained geometric simulations. Biophysical Journal (2008).
- E.S. Bozin, A Sartbaeva, H. Zheng, S.A. Wells, J.F. Mitchell, Th. Proffen, M.F. Thorpe and S.J.L. Billinge. Structure of CaMnO3 in the range 10K < T < 550K from neutron time-of-flight total scattering. J. Phys. Chem. Solids (2008).
- Monneeb T.M. Shatnawi, Christopher L. Farrow, Ping Chen, Punit Boolchand, Asel Sartbaeva, M.F. Thorpe and Simon J. L. Billinge. Search for a Structural Response to the Intermediate Phase in GexSe1-x Glasses. Physical Review B (2008).
- Mykyta Chubynsky, Brandon Hespenheide, Donald J. Jacobs, Leslie A. Kuhn, Ming Lei, Scott Menor, A.J. Rader, M.F. Thorpe, Walter Whiteley and Maria I. Zavodszky. Constraint Theory applied to Proteins. Nanotechnology Research Journal (2008).
- A Sartbaeva, S Wells, A Huerta, Michael Thorpe. Local structural variability and the intermediate phase window in network glasses. Physical Review B (2007).
- A. Sartbaeva, S.A. Wells, E. Z. Bozin, S.J.L. Billinge and M.F. Thorpe. Quadruploar Ordering revealed from Scattering and Geometrical Modelling. Physical Review Letters (2007).
- M Chubynsky, Michael Thorpe. Algorithms for 3D rigidity analysis and a first order percolation transition. Physical Review E (2007).
- Michael Thorpe. Comment on Elastic Network Models and Proteins. Journal of Physical Biology (2007).
- V Levashov, S Billinge, Michael Thorpe. Quantum Correction to the Pair Distribution Function. Journal of Computational Chemistry (2007).
- A Sartbaeva, S Wells, Michael Thorpe, E Bozin, S Billinge. Geometric modeling of perovskite frameworks with Jahn-Teller distortions: application to cubic manganites. Phys. Rev. Letters (2006).
- A Sartbaeva, S Wells, Michael Treacy, Michael Thorpe. The flexibility window in zeolites. Nature Materials (2006).
- Craig Jolley, Stephen Wells, Brandon Hespenheide, Michael Thorpe, Petra Fromme. Docking of Photosystem I subunit C using a constrained geometric simulation. Journal of the American Chemical Society (2006).
- Holger Gohlke, Michael Thorpe. A Natural Coarse Graining for Simulating Large Biomolecular Motion. Biophysics Journal (2006).
- Samuel Flores, Mark Gerstein, Nathaniel Echols, Duncan Milburn, Brandon Hespenheide, Kevin Keating, Jason Lu, Stephen Wells, Eric Yu, Michael Thorpe. The Database of Macromolecular Motions: new features added at the decade mark. Nucleic Acid Research (2006).
- Samuel Flores, Natheniel Echols, Duncan Milburn, Brandon Hespenheide, Stephen Wells, Kevin Keating, Jason Lu, Michael Thorpe, Mark Gerstein. New features in the Database of Macromolecular Motions. Nucleic Acid Research (2006).
- Chubynsky, Mykyta, Day, Anthony, Hespenheide, Brandon, Jacobs, Donald, Ming, Lei, Menor, Scott, Rader, A, Thorpe, Michael, Whiteley, Walter, Zavodszky, Maria. Constraint Theory applied to Proteins. Nova Publishers (2006).
- M Chubynsky, Michael Thorpe. Mean-field conductivities in a certain class of networks. Physical Review E (2005).
- P Boolchand, G Lucovsky, J Phillips, Michael Thorpe. Self-Organization and the Physics of Glassy Networks. Phil. Mag (2005).
- Stephen Wells, Scott Menor, Brandon Hespenheide, Michael Thorpe. Constrained Geometric Simulation of Diffusive Motion in Proteins. Physical Biology (2005).
- Tatyana Mamonova, Brandon Hespenheide, Rachel Straub, Michael Thorpe, Maria Kurnikova. Protein Flexibility using Constraints from Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Physical Biology (2005).
- Valentin Levashov, Simon Billinge, Michael Thorpe. Density Fluctuations and the Pair Distribution Function. Physical Review B (2005).
- Valentin Levashov, Simon Billinge, Michael Thorpe. Density Fluctuations and thePair Distribution Function. Physical Review B (2005).
- Valentin Levashov, Simon Billinge, Michael Thorpe. Microscopic Density Fluctuations and the Pair Distribution Function. Physical Review B (2005).
- Thorpe, Michael F (Author) ,Chubynsky, Mykyta (Author) ,Hespenheide, Brandon (Author) ,Menor, Scott (Author) ,Day, Anthony R (Author) ,Jacobs, Donald J (Author) ,Kuhn, Leslie A (Author) ,Zavodszky, Maria I (Author) ,Ming, Lei (Author) ,Rader, A J (Author) ,Whiteley, Walter (Author) . Flexibility in Biomolecules. Current Topics in Physics (2005).
- A McGurn, A Day, D Bergman, L Davis, Michael Thorpe. Spectral Densities of Embedded Interfaces in Composite Materials. Physical Review B (2004).
- B Hespenheide, D Jacobs, Michael Thorpe. Structural rigidity in the capsid assembly of cowpea chlorotic mottle virus. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter (2004).
- Maria Zavodszky, Lei Ming, Michael Thorpe, Anthony Day, A Leslie. Modeling Correlated Main-Chain Motions in Proteins for Flexible Molecular Recognition. Proteins: Structure, Function and Genetics (2004).
- Michael Thorpe, Ming Lei. Macromolecular Flexibility. Philosophical Magazine (2004).
- Ming Lei, Leslie Kuhn, Maria Zavodszky, Michael Thorpe. Sampling Protein Conformations and Pathways. Journal of Computational Chemistry (2004).
- A Day, A McGurn, D Bergman, Michael Thorpe. Spectral Representation of the Electrical Properties of Layered Materials. Physica B (2003).
- V Levashov, Michael Thorpe, B Southern. Charged Lattice Gas with a Neutralizing Background. Physical Review B (2003).
- Rader, A, Hespenheide, Brandon, Kuhn, Leslie, Thorpe, Michael. Protein Unfolding: Rigidity Lost. (2002).
- Donald Jacobs, A Rader, Leslie Kuhn, Michael Thorpe. Protein Flexibilty Predictions using Graph Theory Proteins. PROTEINS: Structure, Function, and Genetics (2001).
Research Activity
- Thorpe,Michael F*, Ozkan,Sefika Banu. Workshop on Protein Folding Pathways. NSF-MPS(6/1/2010 - 5/31/2011).
- Thorpe,Michael F*, Thorpe,Michael F*. Geometrical Simulation of Biomolecular Mobility. NSF-MPS-DMS(9/1/2007 - 8/31/2012).
- Thorpe,Michael F*, Thorpe,Michael F*. Collaborative Research: FRG: Beyond Crystallography: Structure of Nanostructure Materials. NSF-MPS-DMR(8/1/2007 - 7/31/2013).
- Woodbury,Neal Walter*, Lohr,Dennis Evan, Thorpe,Michael F, Thorpe,Michael F. SGER: Merging Single Molecule Spectroscopy and Molecular Simulation. NSF-MPS-PHY(6/1/2006 - 5/31/2007).
- Thorpe,Michael F*, Thorpe,Michael F*. Diffusion and Flexibility in Networks. NSF-MPS(7/15/2004 - 6/30/2007).
- Thorpe,Michael F*, Thorpe,Michael F*. The Role of Theory in Biological Physics and Materials (Workshop). NSF-MPS(4/1/2004 - 3/31/2005).
- Thorpe,Michael F*. Local Atomic Structure of Functional Materials Using Pair Distribution Function Analysis of Neutron and X-ray Data. MICHIGAN STATE UNIV(9/1/2003 - 8/31/2004).
- Thorpe,Michael F*. THE INTERMEDIATE PHASE IN NETWORK GLASSES. NSF-MPS(8/16/2003 - 6/30/2004).
- Thorpe,Michael F*, Thorpe,Michael F*. NIRT: STRUCTURE OF NANOCRYSTALS. MICHIGAN STATE UNIV(8/1/2003 - 7/31/2008).
- Thorpe,Michael F*, Thorpe,Michael F*. NEW ALGORIHMS FOR MODELING FLEXIBILITY IN PROTEINS. HHS-NIH-NIGMS(7/1/2002 - 1/31/2007).
Courses
2025 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
| PHY 799 | Dissertation |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
2024 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 792 | Research |
2024 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
| PHY 799 | Dissertation |
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
2023 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 792 | Research |
2023 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
| PHY 799 | Dissertation |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
| PHY 799 | Dissertation |
2022 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
2022 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 792 | Research |
2022 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
| PHY 799 | Dissertation |
2021 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
2021 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 792 | Research |
2021 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
| PHY 799 | Dissertation |
2020 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
2020 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 792 | Research |
2020 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
| PHY 799 | Dissertation |
2019 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PHY 792 | Research |
| PHY 795 | Continuing Registration |
Presentations
- M.F. Thorpe. Flexibility in Networks. Workshop on Computational Geometry, Troy, NY (Oct 2008).
- Michael Thorpe. New Flexible Materials. Design and Synthesis of New Materials, Santa Barbara, CA (Aug 2008).
- Michale Thorpe. Flexibility and Motion. Ridity and Flexibility in Biomolecules, Banff, Canada (Jul 2008).
- Micahel Thorpe. Recent Progress in Rigidity Theoy. BIRS Workshop on Rigidity Thoery, Banff, Canada (Jul 2008).
- Mike Thorpe. Beyond Crystallography: Structure of nanostructured materials. Workshop in Tempe, AZ (May 2008).
- Mike Thorpe. Geometrical Simulation Techniques. Workshop in Tempe, AZ (May 2008).
- Mike Thorpe. Flexibility in Materials. Colloquium at Harvard Physics Department (Mar 2008).
- Mike Thorpe. Flexibility in Networks. Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (Feb 2008).
- Thorpe, Michael. Proteins - the First Clusters?. Clusters - A Bridge Across Disciplines (Dec 2006).
- Thorpe, Michael. New computational Approaches in Simulating the Motion of Flexible Frameworks. Seventh World Congress on Computational Mechanics (Jul 2006).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility and Mobility in Biomolecules. Forth Stig Lundqvist Conference (Jun 2006).
- Thorpe, Michael. From Solid State to Biophysics. International Conference (Jun 2006).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility and Coarse Graing in Biomolecules. 32nd Steenbock Symposium (May 2006).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecular Complexes. American Physical Society meeting (Mar 2006).
- Thorpe, Michael. Coarse-graining Methods for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics. Biophysical Society Meeting (Feb 2006).
- Thorpe, Michael. Geometric Simulation methods. Barbados Workshop on "Topics in Computational Geometry" (Jan 2006).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecules. Application of Cheminformatics & Chemical Modelling to Drug Discovery (Oct 2005).
- Thorpe, Michael. Biomolecular Flexibility. Bridging Time and Length Scales in Materials Science and Biophysics (Sep 2005).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexible Docking and Virtual Screening in Drug Design. International Molecular Graphics and Modelling Society (MGMS) Meeting Biomolecular Simulations (Sep 2005).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecules. Nanoscience at the intersection of Physics and Biology (Aug 2005).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecules. 5th International Discussion Meeting on Relaxations in Complex Systems: Systems (Jul 2005).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecules. (Apr 2005).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecules. Symposium: 25th Anniversary of Condensed-Matter Theory at ISIS and the Rutherford Appleton Laborato (Apr 2005).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecules. New Approaches to Drug Design and Discovery, Schloss Rauischholzhausen (Mar 2005).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecules. Structure of Nanocystals (Dec 2004).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecules. Prager Symposium (Oct 2004).
- Thorpe, Michael, Hespenheide, Brandon. Virus capsids. Viruses & Protein Cages as Materials Meeting (Aug 2004).
- Hespenheide, Brandon, Thorpe, Michael. Virus Capsids. Flexibility in complex materials (Thorpe Feschrift) (Aug 2004).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecules. Computational and Experimental Challenges in Hybrid Physical, Chemical and Biological Systems (Aug 2004).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecules. Banff workshop on Mathematics and Biology (Jul 2004).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecules. Calgary workshop on Rigidity (Jul 2004).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecules. Workshop on Networks in Physics and Biology (Jul 2004).
- Hespenheide, Brandon, Thorpe, Michael. Protein Unfolding Pathways. From Solid State To BioPhysics II (Jun 2004).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecules. From Solid State To BioPhysics II (Jun 2004).
- Thorpe, Michael, Hespenheide, Brandon. Virus Capsids. Workshop on Mathematical Virology (Jun 2004).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecules. Workshop on Nano-Scale Materials : From Science to Technology (Apr 2004).
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biomolecules. Dynamic Energy Landscapes and Functional Systems (Mar 2004).
- Thorpe, Michael. Biomolecules: Flexibility and Function. Physics Graduate Students
- Thorpe, Michael. Biophysics: Is it interesting?. SPS
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility and Function in Proteins. Workshop on Mathematics and Biology
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Biological Macromolecules. Workshop on Nanoscale Materials: From Science to Technology
- Thorpe, Michael. Biomolecules: Flexibility and Function. Biochemsitry Graduate Students
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility and Biological Function. SPS
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Glaases and Proteins. NSF workshop on Reticular Chemistry
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Glasses and Proteins. Current Topics in Physics Symposium
- Thorpe, Michael. History of Network Models. Conference on Fluctuation Electron Microscopy & Nanoscale Ordering in Amorphous Materials
- Thorpe, Michael. Macromolecular Flexibility. Ninth International Workshop on Disordered Systems
- Thorpe, Michael. Network Flexibility. Brass Ring
- Thorpe, Michael. Protein Flexibility. ACS meeting
- Thorpe, Michael. Protein Flexibility and Folding. APS regional meeting
- Thorpe, Michael. Protein Flexibility and Folding. International Meeting on Clusters and Nanoassemblies: Physical and Biological Systems
- Thorpe, Michael. Protein Unfolding: Rigidity Lost. APS March meeting
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Proteins and Protein Complexes. From Solid State to Biophysics II; The Role of Inhomogenities in sold, Soft and Bio-matter
- Thorpe, Michael. Flexibility in Virus Capsids. Viruses & Protein Cages as Materials
- Thorpe, Michael. Network Flexibility. Workshop on Networks in Physics and Biology
- Thorpe, Michael. Protein Flexibility and Function. Dynamic Energy Landscapes and Functional Systems
- Laubichler, Manfred, Thorpe, Michael. Reductionism and Emergence in Science. Science Cafe
Service
- Summer Teachers Program, Biophysics coordinator (2007 - Present)
- External advisory committee for the Center for Biological Physics at UCLA., Member (2013 - 2016)
- External review Committee for Physics Department at Virginia Tech., Member (2013 - 2014)
- Site Review Panel, Member of external review panel for the Physics Department At Virginia Tech. (2008 - 2009)
- Workshop on Rigidity, Flexibility, and Motion: Theory, Computation and Applications to Biomolecules, Co-chair (2008 - 2008)
- Ph.D thesis committee, External examiner (2008 - 2008)
- Center for Biological Physics, Director (2006 - 2008)
- Biological Physics Seminar, Organizer (2004 - 2008)
- Distinguished Lecturer Series, Organizer (2003 - 2008)
- Workshop on Beyond crystallography: Structure of nanostructured materials, Co-chair (2008 - 2008)
- Workshop on Geometrical Simulation Techniques, Co-chair (2008 - 2008)
- Workshop on Rigidity, Flexibility and Mobility, Co-chair (2006 - 2006)
- 5th International Discussion Meeting on Relaxations in Complex Systems:, Organiser (2005 - 2005)
- DoPA colloquium, Chair (2004 - 2005)
- Biological Physics and Soft Condensed Matter Seminar, Co-Chair (2003 - 2004)
- NSF panel, Co-chair (2004)