Joshua A. Dijksman

University of Groningen, Van der Waals-Zeeman Institute, Wageningen University & Research

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About

Joshua A. Dijksman is a soft matter physicist whose work bridges bioinspiration, adhesion mechanics, and fluid dynamics. His research centers on understanding how soft materials interact with surfaces and interfaces—from designing novel adhesives to exploring the complex physics of hydrogel spheres entering water. Dijksman’s most notable contribution is the development of a "soft probabilistic fastener" inspired by mushroom structures, which achieves strong, reversible attachment without damaging delicate surfaces—a significant advance over traditional hook-and-loop systems like Velcro. This work, published in 2021, has already garnered 13 citations and holds promise for applications in soft robotics and surgical instrumentation. He has also pioneered anisotropic stiffness adhesives that generate high shear forces on soft substrates, offering new strategies for reversible attachment in biomedical contexts. More recently, Dijksman has explored hydroelastic phenomena, experimentally demonstrating how ultrasoft hydrogel spheres behave during water entry—a problem that challenges classical fluid dynamics frameworks. His work consistently combines rigorous experimental mechanics with practical design, making him a rising voice in the field of soft matter engineering.