Summary of curriculum

During the last decade Katerina Foteinopoulou´s (KF) research has focused on the rheology of non-Newtonian liquids at the macroscopic (flow behaviour, phenomenological predictions) and microscopic (entanglements and slip-link models) levels. As a Ph. D. student, KF participated in one EU-funded, multinational research project with industrial partners (Exxon, Tesa) (DEFSAM 2000-2003, coordinated by Prof. C. Creton, ESPCI, France) and in one national project funded by the Hellenic General Secretariat for Research Programmes (PENED 136, 2003-2005, coordinated by Prof. V. Grigoriou). She has been a post-doctoral research fellow in Univ. of Patras (2005-2006, Greece) and in ISOM/ETSII of UPM, Madrid (2006-2009, Spain). During that period she was involved in one national (“Pythagoras II”, 2005-2006, Greece), three EU-funded (“MNIBS”, 2006-2009, “PMILS”, 2006-2007 and “Korrigan”, 2009-2010) and one industrial (Procter & Gamble, 2009-2010) projects. Through these participations and the established scientific collaborations KF gained significant experience on the theoretical treatment of viscoelastic complex flows and their numerous industrial applications. In 2010 she received the Ramón y Cajal fellowship (“RYC-2010-06804”) by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and she is currently a RyC research investigator at UPM, Madrid. During the last years (2012-2016) she has been PI in one national project funded by the Spanish ministry of economy and competitiveness (“MOBILIFE”, MAT-2011-24834), participated in two more national projects ("NAFCA", MAT2015-70478-P and "FEMCOP", MTM2015-67030-P) and has participated in computational research projects including the most advanced supercomputer facilities available in Spain (CeSViMa and RES).

Her research interests focus on the multiscale modelling of complex fluids, including flow calculations using advanced finite element methods and the topological analysis of atomistic, computer-generated samples of polymeric melts and solutions. Special emphasis is placed on addressing the viscoelasticity of non-Newtonian polymers and on giving physical insight on the origin of viscoelastic effects. This is achieved by the robust identification of the entanglement network and knot complexity of macromolecular chains at the atomistic level. This in turn provides a key link for the structure-property relation in industrially-relevant complex fluids. This multiscale modelling investigation, relating entanglement statistics with macroscopic rheological properties, serves further in the validation and simulation-driven formulation of novel constitutive rheological equations.

Additionally, her research interests include modelling studies of complex, time-dependent flow calculations using finite elements, incorporating multiple interfaces and viscoelastic effects of non-Newtonian synthetic or biological fluids for medical applications: diagnosis (contrast agents in ultrasound diagnosis) and therapy (drug delivery, shock-wave lithotripsy).

KF has co-authored 24 publications in international, peer-reviewed scientific journals (h-index 14). She has given more than 30 presentations (1 invited) in international conferences and workshops. She is an active reviewer in five international scientific journals, evaluator for ANEP and member of the committee for the Ramón y Cajal and Juan de La Cierva programs (in category “Ingeniería Mecánica, Naval y Aeronáutica”, 2015-2016).