I am an incoming co-PI/Assistant Professor at the International Institute for Sustainability with Knotted Chiral Matter (WPI-SKCM2) in Hiroshima, Japan, starting in April 2026. There I will start a group with Professor Sabetta Matsumoto (Georgia Tech) that aims to uncover fundamental physics of knot-based fabrics and explore novel applications for these materials.

In my postdoctoral research at UC Berkeley, I studied mechanical properties of knitted fabrics, combining tabletop experiments with theoretical models and simulations, advised by Sanjay Govindjee and Kranthi Mandadapu. My doctoral research, advised by Prof. Joel Moore at UC Berkeley, focused on novel physics in topological insulators and quantum phase transitions. I completed my dissertation Localization in quantum and classical disordered systems in August 2023.

I am also passionate about teaching and scientific outreach. I was a teaching assistant for 5 semesters and have taught outreach courses on wind power and the physics of music. An exciting outreach project I'm currently working on is the design of science-inspired knitting patterns (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/elizabeth-dresselhaus-ravelry-store/patterns).

Outside of physics and knitting (and now machine knitting!), I enjoy swimming, cooking, playing violin with friends, and hiking.

Please email me any inquiries about research at ej_dresselhaus@berkeley.edu.