The primary areas of research in the Kilbey group include synthesis and characterization of soft materials used for surface and interface engineering. We focus on studying the intrinsic links between assembly, structure and properties of ultrathin polymer films at surfaces and of molecular assemblies in solution. Our challenge is to understand the design rules whereby controllable, precise syntheses coupled with the ability to manipulate molecular assembly and intermolecular interactions lead to new and useful structures, properties, and products. We use a variety of characterization methods to probe structure and interactions on length scales approaching molecular dimensions, including surface forces measurements and neutron reflectivity, and we also use in situ ellipsometric measurements to track dynamics of assembly and changes in solvated structure of surface-tethered polymer thin films. We also use light scattering to examine solution properties of self-assembled systems.