TNW-MM-BNT
TNW-EDU-AP

Sissi de Beer is an associate professor (with ius promovendi) within the Department of Molecules and Materials and the program director of the BSc Technische Natuurkunde and the MSc Applied Physics.

Bibliography

Dr. Ir. Sissi de Beer obtained her PhD degree at the University of Twente. After postdoctoral fellowships at the Forschungszentrum in Jülich and the University of Toronto, she is now an associate professor at the University of Twente. In her research, Sissi combines molecular modeling with laboratory experiments to design functional polymer surfaces for application in lubrication, sensing, and molecular separations. She leads a large national consortium in developing new materials and processes for the Recovery and Circularity of Valuable Resources (ReCoVR). 

Sissi is determined in supporting her students in their success, which might be a reason her students regularly win prizes. For example, Leon Smook has won the won the KNCV Golden Master Award (1st place) and the Unilever Award in 2022 and Esli Diepenbroek won the UT Graduation award in 2023. Sissi has supervised 12 PhD students, of which 8 have graduated now.

Sissi is also very passionate about education and teaches several courses in the bachelor and master programmes of Applied Physics and Chemical Science and Engineering. She strives to bring out the best of the students. That is also an important reason why she is the program director of Applied Physics now.

Educational background

  • 2011 - PhD, Thesis: ‘Probing the Properties of Confined Liquids’, Physics of Complex Fluids, University of Twente, Enschede
  • 2007 - MSc, Applied Physics, University of Twente, Enschede

Awards

  • Mevr de Winter award Arago (2024)
  • NRO Nederlandse Onderwijspremie for FlexSciLabs (2023) 
  • NWO TTW Perspectief awarded for RECoVR: Recovery and Circularity of Valuable Resources (2021)
  • KIJK Top Tech Ideas for eNose for the early detection of potato rot (2019)
  • HiTMaT Technology Award for eNose in early detection of animal diseases (2019)
  • Alembic Teacher of Year award (2019)

Academic Citizenship

  • 2025-Present - Vice-chair Dutch Physical Society
  • 2021–Present - Programme manager NWO Perspectief program ReCoVR
  • 2021–Present - Editorial Advisory Board and Guest editor ACS journal Langmuir
  • 2017–Present - Mentor for BSc students
  • 2020–2024 - Board member Young Academy Twente          
  • 2019–2022 - Program coordinator ‘Alternative Driving Forces Forces’ in ‘Industrial Fluid Processing’ cluster of ISPT (Institute for Sustainable Process Technologies)
  • 2021–2022 - Member Programme Committee (OLC) of CSE        
  • 2020–2022 - Member Shaping 2030 Expert Team on Sustainability
  • 2019–2022 - Track coordinator Molecules and Materials Engineering
  • 2019 - Co-organiser ICBZM conference, Rolduc, Kerkrade
  • 2015–2019 - Initiator and organizer of the UT Soft Matter day
  • 2013–2019 - Initiator and organizer of the Soft Matter+ colloquium series

Organisations

In my research, I translate fundamental polymer science to technological applications. My students and I study the properties of functional polymer surfaces. These coatings can be employed in advanced sensor platforms and in separation technologies that enable the transition to a circular economy.

Publications

2024

Millisecond-resolved infrared spectroscopy study of polymer brush swelling dynamics (2024)Measurement science and technology, 35(11). Article 115501. Jorissen, K. F. A., Veldscholte, L. B., Odijk, M. & de Beer, S.https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6501/ad66f9All-atom molecular dynamics simulations showing the dynamics of small organic molecules in water-solvated polyelectrolyte brush layers (2024)Physical chemistry chemical physics, 26(39), 25557-25566. Smook, L. A., Ishraaq, R., Akash, T. S., de Beer, S. & Das, S.https://doi.org/10.1039/d4cp02128bWetting and vapour sorption of polymer brushes (2024)[Thesis › PhD Thesis - Research UT, graduation UT]. University of Twente. Veldscholte, L. B.https://doi.org/10.3990/1.9789036562355Creating Anti-Biofouling Surfaces by Degradable Main-chain Polyphosphoester Polymer Brushes (2024)Advanced functional materials, 34(32). Article 2316201. Pérez, M. B., Resendiz-Lara, D. A., Matsushita, Y., Kakinoki, S., Iwasaki, Y., Hempenius, M. A., de Beer, S. & Wurm, F. R.https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202316201A tribo-chemical view on astringency of plant-based food substances (2024)Friction, 12, 1392-1407. Gamaniel, S. S., Dueñas Robles, P. S., Tromp, H., de Hoog, E. H. A., de Beer, S. & van der Heide, E.https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-023-0812-0Vapor uptake in polymer materials: Simulations and theory (2024)[Thesis › PhD Thesis - Research UT, graduation UT]. University of Twente. Ritsema van Eck, G. C.https://doi.org/10.3990/1.9789036560429

Research profiles

I am the program director of Applied Physics (AP). In this role, it is my aim to ensure that AP stays the top programme is currently is. Within AP we train high-quality professionals within a strong community of students, staff and teachers, in which we facilitate that everyone can bring out the best out of themselves.

Affiliated study programs

Courses academic year 2025/2026

Courses in the current academic year are added at the moment they are finalised in the Osiris system. Therefore it is possible that the list is not yet complete for the whole academic year.

Courses academic year 2024/2025

Courses academic year 2023/2024

Address

University of Twente

Carré (building no. 15), room C4629
Hallenweg 23
7522 NH Enschede
Netherlands

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University of Twente

Carré (building no. 15), room C4227
Hallenweg 23
7522 NH Enschede
Netherlands

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Organisations

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