Dr Katie Cole

Honorary Research Associate

Research areas

Bio:

2002-2006	MPhys (Hons) Physics, UoM, UK.
2006-2007	MSc Nuclear Science and Technology (NTEC), ULiv, UK.
2007-2011	PhD Earth Science and Engineering, ICL, UK.
2011-2013	PDRA, Rio Tinto Centre for Advanced Mineral Recovery, ICL, UK.
2014-2016	PDRF, Physics, UCT, ZA.

Research:

Bubbles and foams are amazing! They have interesting and unusual properties that are prized in many applications, from crash resistance in cars to recovering precious minerals from ores.

My research focuses on using physics to explain the fundamental behavior of foams, froths, and other soft matter systems, particularly where it can enhance the efficiency of industrial processes and reduce the impact on the environment. A lot of my experimental research takes place at PEPT Cape Town which is a facility managed by the UCT Department of Physics at iThemba LABS.

Check out my profile on (Research Gate or Google Scholar.

Projects:

Please get in touch if you are interested in starting a student project or collaboration. There are projects available for 3rd-year undergraduate, honours, MSc, PhD students, and postdoctoral fellowships.

Measuring turbulence in multiphase fluids such as flotation froths.
Following flow on the microscale and in simulated microgravity.
Developing fundamentally based models of bubble coalescence and topology in foams and froths.
Fabricating novel tracer particles for positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) and characterising their physical properties.

Current students:

Rorisang Sitoboli (PhD).