Michalik Distinguished Lecture - Lisa Fauci

We are pleased to announce that our 2026 Michalik Lecture will be given by Professor Lisa Fauci. The doors for the event will open at 3 PM. Following the talk a reception will be held in the Frick Fine Arts Cloister after the talk has concluded until 5:30 PM.

Title: Biofluid explorations: flagella in tortuous tubes and shape-shifting microbial colonies

Abstract: The motion of waving filaments in a fluid environment is a common element in many biological systems.   For instance, at the microscale, a unicellular choanoflagellate uses a flagellum  to swim as well as to create a fluid flow that delivers bacteria to its prey-capturing collar. Choanoflagellates such as S. rosetta and C. flexa form multicellular colonies consisting of tens to more than 100 individual cells.  Does multicellularity impart a hydrodynamic advantage in terms of motility and feeding?  Another example of waving filaments at the microscale are the incredibly long and flexible insect sperm that must navigate complex female reproductive structures for successful fertilization.  What is the advantage imparted by sperm flagella that can be nearly as long as the insect body itself?  In this talk we will present mathematical and computational models of these viscosity-dominated systems. Our modeling approaches will vary from detailed models that capture flagellar material properties and wave geometry to minimal force-dipole models that represent a flagellum by a single point.  We will share some insights into these two intriguing systems from a mechanical point of view, and discuss the successes and challenges that come with working with experimentalists and their data. 
 

This annual intellectual highlight commemorates Edmund R. Michalik’s long history with the University of Pittsburgh and the Department of Mathematics. He received his BA in education from Pitt in 1937 and went on to receive his MS in mathematics in 1940. After he graduated, Michalik joined the Navy to serve during WWII. The day after he was discharged in 1946, he met his future wife, Martha. He came back to teach at Pitt until 1951. Over the next few years Michalik worked for a variety of organizations, including the Army, Atlantic Research Corporation and the Department of Mathematics at the Mellon Institute, where he was the head of applied mathematics. In 1957 he worked for PPG as the head of the applied mathematics, and later as the senior engineer and head of computer research, when he retired in 1980. Throughout this time Michalik volunteered his time and taught as an adjunct professor in the Department of Mathematics. He was dedicated to the study of mathematics.