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Physics PhD student explores Variational Methods for Janus Particles at Kyoto University

Jul 31 2025

Marking another milestone in international collaboration, Khate Cheryl C. Bayer, a PhD student advisee of Prof. Mark Nolan Confesor, is currently undertaking a five-month research stay at Kyoto University, Japan. The program runs from June 29 to November 16, 2025.

Under the supervision of Prof. Kenta Ishimoto from the Department of Mathematics, Kyoto University, Bayer is studying applying variational principle methods to understand the behavior of Janus particles in various optical fields. The project aims to calculate the most probable path of these self-propelled particles and develop a framework to systematically compare theoretical predictions with experimental and simulation results.

The collaboration began in May 2024 when Prof. Confesor contacted Prof. Ishimoto to explore the potential application of variational methods to Janus particle experiments conducted by the Soft Matter and Biological Physics Laboratory (SMBPL) in PRISM. Following several research meetings, the team visited the Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences (RIMS) in July 2024, where they collaborated with Prof. Ishimoto and his postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Kento Yasuda, who is now an associate professor at the College of Science and Technology, Nihon University, Tokyo.

Bayer’s current doctoral thesis focuses on the application of variational methods to self-propelled particles in complex environments. The long-term research stay in Kyoto is made possible through the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Research Enrichment (Sandwich) Program, supporting Filipino researchers to gain advanced training abroad and strengthen local research capacity upon their return.

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