David P. Penaloza Jr. graduated with his PhD in Polymer Chemistry degree from the University of Connecticut (USA) in 2011 through the Ford Foundation International Fellowship Program (Ford-IFP). His doctoral research under the mentorship of Prof. Thomas AP Seery focused on the preparation and characterization of clay-based polymer nanocomposites prepared via surface-initiated polymerization. Then he moved to Kyushu University (Japan) to do a postdoc (and later promoted to research assistant professor) where he worked with Prof. Keiji Tanaka carrying out structure-property relation studies of self-assembled systems. In 2013, David got employed at Keimyung University (South Korea) as an assistant professor. Then in 2015, David went back to the Philippines and joined De La Salle University (DLSU) where he is currently an associate professor.

Interests in his research group at DLSU, Soft Materials Laboratory (www.softmaterialsatdlsu.weebly.com), are focused towards the studies of structure-property relations of soft matter and complex fluids. Complex fluids refer to multiphase soft material systems (polymer and colloidal dispersions, polymer brushes, hydrogels, emulsions, etc.) that can flow but exhibit non-Newtonian rheology. Such materials are ubiquitous in nature and can be employed in a wide range of important commercial applications. He also collaborates with industry partners to solve formulation challenges in commercial products such as paints, coatings and inks; emulsions; plastics; cosmetics and personal home care products, etc.