A topological defect (TD) occurs at a wall, line, or point where the relevant order parameter — in our case the liquid crystal’s orientational order parameter — becomes ill-defined, and where this singularity cannot be removed by varying the order parameter continuously. Studies of TDs can be used to obtain values of elastic constants and surface tension, and can serve as an important signature when determining the symmetry of phases. Defect dynamics provide another important field of study, as defect motion is extremely sensitive to boundary effects and provides information about surfaces and impurities. Defects and boundaries can serve as traps for micro- and nanoparticles, as the presence of the particles can reduce or eliminate the energy associated with the defect core.