The 2026 UNSW RheoSchool, held as the opening two days of the AMAR conference, gave early-career researchers a genuinely valuable introduction to the field of rheology. As one attendee reflected, the event was a "fantastic deep dive into the fundamentals of rheology, tribo-rheology, novel shear and extensional techniques," offering a broad and well-rounded foundation for anyone new to the discipline.

Participants consistently described the experience as worthwhile and enjoyable, with the strongest praise reserved for the quality of the lecture content. Dr. Todd Squires' sessions stood out in particular — attendees found his presentation style engaging and easy to follow, and one participant noted feeling "truly grateful to have learned from a plenary of brilliant scientists" like him. Beyond the core rheology curriculum, the school also introduced attendees to adjacent techniques such as deformation cytometry, broadening participants' sense of what's possible in materials characterisation.

The hands-on component was another highlight: access to specialist instruments and live equipment demonstrations gave participants a rare, tangible connection to experimental rheology in practice, particularly appealing to those interested in experimental design. Extensional rheology demonstrations were singled out as especially interesting and relevant.

Feedback also pointed to a real sense of intellectual re-engagement among attendees. One participant described how the experience helped "reignite your curiosity, broaden your perspective, and remind you why you chose this path in the first place" — a sentiment echoed in the gratitude expressed for the chance to learn alongside researchers across all career stages, from Master's students to professors, in a genuinely collaborative environment.

The ASR would like to thank the Theo Murphy Initiative, Administered by the Australian Academy of Science for funding the Rheoschool, as well as those who contributed to the Rheoschool curriculum.

Rheology School at the 2026 Australian Society of Rheology Annual Meeting received grant funding from the Theo Murphy Initiative (Australia) administered by the Australian Academy of Science.

Rheoschool Resources:

As part of the Rheoschool, the ASR would like to provide the lecture material presented. Thank you once again to the presenters for their contributions

CaberBaddata (2).pdf

Prabhakar_RheologyBasics (1).pdf

2026_RheoSchool_thin film rheology_Shewan (1).pdf

SQUIRES AMAR rheoschool 2026 (1).pdf

The ASR would once again like to Thank Anton Paar, Netzsch and Waters for sponsoring the AMAR/Rheoschool proceedings.