Hello!

I am David Cúñez, an Ecuadorian todólogo (not quite an engineer, not quite a physicist) who plays with and tries to understand granular materials! Sand, soil, rice (food), and powders are everywhere, and that ubiquity is what drives my curiosity. I study them from various perspectives: observing how they jam, creep, and crystallize under different conditions; how they segregate by shape and size when shaken, poured, or sheared; how they interact with water and air to reshape landscapes; and how particle-based processes behave inside energy ceramic materials.

I am a research scientist in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Rochester, trying to understand what the rheology (behavior) of granular materials is and how it can be extrapolated to diverse applications in Industry and Nature, from fluidized beds to transport and storage of granular materials, to fabrication of ceramic materials, to sediment transport in rivers. Currently, I am working on the rheology of "activated" granular materials (systems where external or intruding objects reshape the surrounding granular configuration). Think of a fish flapping against a riverbed to carve out a redd for spawning, a worm burrowing through soil, or a snake winding through sand, where in each case, an "activator" disturbs the granular bed in different ways.

Collaborations

I am always open to new collaborations. If you think we might be able to develop a project together, please do not hesitate to contact me via e-mail at david DOT cunez AT hotmail DOT com, introducing yourself and describing briefly your project and/or ongoing research.

Profiles

Hello!

Collaborations

Profiles

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