BIOMIMICRY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Curator of Cross - Cultural Dance Resources Collections and Clinical Assistant Professor of Dance / School of Film
Job Titles:
- 36 Assistant Director of the Biomimicry Center / Co - Director, InnovationSpace, the Design School
In self-organizing particle systems, I take inspiration from collective biological and physical systems to envision an abstraction of programmable active matter. We investigate the capabilities and properties of simple computational elements called particles with limited memory and communication to self-organize in order to solve system-wide problems of movement, coordination, and configuration. More broadly my expertise is in distributed computing and algorithms, and self-organization. My Webpage: www.public.asu.edu/ aricha My Lab Webpage: sops.engineering.asu.edu
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- Professor of Computer Science and Cognitive Science / Georgia Institute of Technology
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- Assistant Professor of Photography
Why become an artist when Nature has mastered it already? My entire philosophy on art revolves around the intricate and infinite potential in the natural world. Helping us see what nature has created and how we can use its designs in our art.
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- Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture
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- Assistant Professor Wood / Sustainability, Senior Sustainability Scholar, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability
I design and build sculptural forms, functional objects, and installations drawing from my training in furniture design/woodworking and other fabrication methods using wood, fiber and plastics and composite materials. I have been manipulating materials in search of visible and tactile patterns that emerge from seemingly divergent areas. I am particularly interested in working with those affiliated with the Biomimicry Center to identify patterns at the intersection of nature, function and design aesthetics.
My research focuses on multi-scale 3D printing with bioinspired design methodologies and programmable functional materials for potential applications in interface, biomedical devices, and flexible sensor. My research interest is the development of novel additive manufacturing processes to explore and create functional devices with biomimetic hierarchical structures and material systems.
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- Director, InnovationSpace / Herberger Institute for Design
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- Professor of Architecture and Urban Design / the Design School
Dr. Petrucci's design and research focuses on what he calls "iAmenity InfrastructureTM" which develops new public-private urban infrastructures that create identity and facilitate multiple scales of public use within the contemporary city. He is the founder and principal of A-I-R [Architecture-Infrastructure-Research] Inc.. and the winner of a Progressive Architecture Award from Architecture Magazine for his project "GLUE: Generic Landscapes Urban Environments" (commercial corridor revitalization strategies along Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale Arizona), and the NCARB Prize for his project "Stripscape: Pedestrian Amenities on 7th Avenue." He teaches courses on applied research and design collaboration in the built environment.
I attended the Biomimicry workshop in Ajo. The awareness of biomimicry that I gained at that event helped me understand the nuances of how biomimicry can be utilized in fashion from design to systematic thinking and constructions. I am the area coordinator for fashion and am involved in planning our courses. I hope to continue to learn about biomimicry and naturally fit it in to fashion coursework.
Dhruv's research, teaching and service revolve around Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing). He is passionate about the design possibilities enabled by the technology and studies nature's use of cellular structures like honeycombs and lattices to learn how we may abstract design principles and apply them to engineering solutions. Dhruv teaches a Design for Additive Manufacturing course and also works with high school students interested in 3D printing, and always includes discussions on how students can bring ideas from nature into their design process.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Life Scientist
Prof. Shin's research interests center around the ‘humanization of technology' and new product innovation and development. Biomimicry has been taught in InnovationSpace studio Prof. Shin is involved, and he is leveraging Biomimicry Life's Principles as Design Principles in Industrial Design to create innovative product strategies for sustainable solutions. As the Biomimicry Education Advisory Council member, Prof. Shin has been serving and sharing his expertise for the curriculum development of ASU's biomimicry program.
Job Titles:
- Co - Director
- Co - Director of the Biomimicry Center / Professor of Practice, School of Life Science / Partner, Biomimicry 3.8
- Co - Director of the Biomimicry Center / Professor of Practice, School of Life Sciences
Job Titles:
- Clinical Associate Professor / Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College
My work and expertise involves science and environmental education with educators, both pre-service and in-service teachers, and with K-16 students. My work focuses on the development of science skills and knowledge and environmental literacy that can impact the development of citizenship skills to make educated and informed decisions and awareness to help groups and individual acquire an awareness and sensitivity to the total environment and its allied problems.
Job Titles:
- Coordinator, Clinical Asst Prof, Faculty Advisor
As the coordinator of the BSED program at ASU The Design School, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to affiliate to your institute, one of the most important in investigating directions humanity can take to address the complex societal and environmental issues we face today. I am happy to collaborate with you since the notion of environmental design is strongly geographic and social: environment is the CONTEXT (somatic traits, archeology), the CULTURE (cultural legacy and modern humans), and the CLIMATE (ecosystems) of a place, the very first condition of the relationship in between interior and exterior, domesticity and monumentality, past an future, primitive and civilized, art and nature. The BSED program new direction wants to explore the interconnectedness of the 3 notions combining innovative design thinking with insightful urban/regional geography and social justice research to understand how daily lives are impacted by the built environment of extreme climatic desert conditions and the Southwest. Our program can investigate with TBC some of the questions we are posing to our student and collaborate in trying to address them: how does a built environment belong to the land? How do the built environment and land belong to the environment? And how does the environment serve the needs of humans and their activities, which brings us back to the built environment?
Job Titles:
- Digital Sound and Interactive Media and Co - Director, Acoustic Ecology Lab
I am a musician and composer, but I also co-direct the acoustic ecology lab which explores community engagement in listening and field recording as a path to stewardship and agency around climate action. The AELab also develops VR sojourns in national parks for heath care applications. I composed and performed a work to launch the Biomimicry Centre and collaborate with members of the centre.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Research
Center for Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics (CBBG), School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment
My research aims to study fundamental physics behind interactions of biological systems with their surrounding solid, granular, and fluidic environments. Utilizing biological insights derived from these studies, I would like to develop bio-inspired robotic systems and programmable interfacial structures for search and rescue, exploratory, and medical applications.
My research expertise includes designing energy-efficient neural networks in various hardware platforms (e.g. ASIC, FPGA, integration with emerging devices). The custom hardware that we design implements a broad range of neural network algorithms that are inspired by the operations in biological nervous systems.
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- Instructor / the Design School
Job Titles:
- Partner Emeritus and Executive Design Director
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- Education Director / Assistant Research Professor / Center for Bio - Mediated and Bio - Inspired Geotechnics
Jeffery L. Yarger is a professor of chemistry, biochemistry and physics at Arizona State University. He holds a joint appointment in the School of Molecular Sciences and the Department of Physics. He is also the founding and current director of the Magnetic Resonance Research Center (MRRC).
His primary research interests are in biophysical chemistry, nano-materials, biopolymers and the general field of disordered or amorphous materials. His current research interests includes (i) fundamental structural and dynamical characterization of amorphous materials with an emphasis on biopolymer (i.e., spider silk), amorphous pharmaceuticals and polyamorphic systems; (ii) Development of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Neutron Scattering, Brillouin Scattering, Vibrational Spectroscopy and Calorimetric techniques to better characterize amorphous materials; (iii) Synthesis and molecular level characterization of nano-materials and nano-composites; (iv) The applications of amorphous materials and molecular level characterization techniques to biomedical instruments and human health; and (v) Materials under extreme conditions.
Prior to coming to ASU, he was with the University of Wyoming as an assistant professor of chemistry with an adjunct appointment at Colorado State University as an assistant professor of physics (1998). He also joined Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) as a visiting scientist, a position he still holds with collaborations, personnel and labs being maintained at ANL. In 2001, he was promoted to associate professor and senior scientist status at the University of Wyoming and Argonne National Laboratories, respectively. He also worked for DuPont-Merck, prior to completion of his doctorate.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Expertise and interest - My research interests are in the areas of neural interfaces and neuromodulation. I am interested in developing brain-like artificial interfaces with the nervous system. I am also interested in developing technologies to communicate with the brain and the nervous system that mimic the way the body does it. My Webpage: www.public.asu.edu/ jmuthus/lab
My research is in the area of bio-inspired material design for musculoskeletal tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. We use information about how human tissues are structured and naturally heal to guide our material design. We hypothesize that materials that mimic natural tissue will serve as a template for functional tissue regeneration.
Job Titles:
- Manufacturing Engineering
Kenan Song's research focuses on textile engineering, coating technologies, and 3D printing. Currently, the Song's group look into bio-inspired nano-particle control in traditional and novel manufacturing processes.
My research focuses on development of materials and methods for augmenting heat and mass transport processes. In many projects we either look for inspiration in already described biological examples or try to uncover new natural mechanisms.
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- Professor and Associate Dean of Research and Strategic Initiatives / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences
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- Associate Professor / Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College
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- Director / Biodesign Pathfinder Center
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- Program Coordinator for the Biomimicry Center
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- Sustainability Consultant and Certified Biomimicry Professional
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- Professor of Mechanical Engineering / California State Polytechnic University
Job Titles:
- 38 Business Operations Specialist for the Biomimicry Center
- Manager of the Biomimicry Center Manager of Graduate Programs for the School of Complex Adaptive Systems
The distinctive branching patterns of dendrites surround us and are of great importance to the workings of the natural world. Trees, desert washes, lightning, and even the connections within our brains are all dendrites and as such possess interesting characteristics. In mathematics, dendrites are elegant solutions to the problem of connecting many points together with the minimum possible total path length. In nature, a dendrite is the most efficient topology for moving materials (nutrients, water), energy (electricity), or information (nerve impulses) into or out of a distributed system. We were not the first to recognize the biomimetic potential of dendrites but we do have a unique view of what drives their formation and believe that we can improve how they may be accurately modeled and ultimately applied in electronic systems.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Assistant Professor / the Design School
Job Titles:
- Assistant Research Professor
My research interest is in bio-inspired design of geo-systems to improve the efficiency and resilience of geo-structures. I develop new theories, numerical models and experimental devices to characterize fundamental physical properties in porous and granular media with the emphasis on hydro-thermo-chemo-mechanical coupled problems.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor / School of Molecular Sciences
Dr. Coseo examines how the design of cities impact natural processes and social communities. He approaches research, teaching, and practice with a humble appreciation for how our urban designs impact the sustainability of natural and social environments. Recently, he investigated how physical characteristics of eight Chicago neighborhoods contributed to urban heat islands and heat vulnerability. His other areas of interest include adaptation to climate change, environmental negotiation, community engagement, and social justice. Dr. Coseo teaches landscape architecture courses on ecological planning and design.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Biology / the University of Akron
I am a Senior Sustainability Scientist who has worked on a number of renewable energy projects. My most recent work has had to do with Community Engagement, with Native Hawaiian Homesteaders and now with Palestinian refugees in the West Bank. I see the potential for using Life's Principles as a way of making these and future projects much more symbiotic with the natural climate and habitat that surrounds them.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- Associate Professor in the Design School
Renata Hejduk is associate professor in The Design School in the ASU Herberger Institute. Her book The Religious Imagination in Modern and Contemporary Architecture: A Reader was published by Routledge Publishing on February 24. The book, co-edited with Jim Wiliamson, former School of Architecture Professor, marks the first publication that collects writings by and about Modern architects and their relationship to spirituality and the divine. This is an important introduction to the religious imagination in architectural thought of the last one hundred years, and to the interdisciplinary discourse that examines how different disciplines express abstract concepts such as faith, spirit, God and knowledge. It makes essential reading for any architect, aspiring or practicing, delving deeper into the meaning of architectural practice.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor
- Physics and Biodesign Institute, Biodesign Center for Molecular Design and Biomimetics
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- Member of the Advisory Board
Job Titles:
- General Manager for Global Design
My research interests are in areas of clean and efficient sources of thermal and electric generation. Previous research includes fuel cells, micro-combustion, batteries, cogeneration and ceramic materials. I am interested in how power generation can be more bio-inspired including how biological systems store, transfer and covert molecules typically utilized in these systems.
Job Titles:
- Co - Director of the Biomimicry Center / Assistant Research Professor at the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems
Job Scope: I'm working with co-director Dr. Dayna Baumeister on the new strategic plan for the biomimicry center. The plan includes strengthening our relationships with our affiliate faculty and collaborating on biomimetic projects in the focal areas of desert environments and circular economy. The life principle that best describes my work is being locally attuned and responsive.
History: Since 2011 I have co-founded three social enterprises in Egypt. Nawaya works to transition small-scale farmer communities into sustainable ones through research. Dayma does outdoor environmental education, learning about Biomimicry and local culture. Clayola creates household low-tech irrigations solutions. I have also been a board member of Slow Food international since 2012. I received my MSc from ASU in Biomimicry (2016) and my undergraduate degree from the American University in Cairo with a dual degree in Biology and Anthropology (2002). I'm currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Sustainability at ASU.
Favorite spot: Nothing makes me happier than being in the Red Sea, in Egypt. Especially after having learned how to free dive. Being down in the sea watching the incredible life around the coral reefs is always mesmerizing. Breathing deeply, then holding my breath and plunging down, trying to be as streamline and conserving of my energy and then getting as close as I can to eels, turtles, sea slugs, parrot fish and many other wonderful organisms fills me with such joy.
Go-to sense in the outdoors: I absolutely adore smelling. It's my first pull to choosing a partner :). The second I arrive in the holy mountains of Sinai, i'm filled with a sense of peace and strength. There is always a strong scent of wild herbs that even attaches to clothes. Now that I've moved to Arizona, I'm exploring the new scents here, such as the sweet aroma of rubbing a creosote, which to me smells like a mix of camphor and citrus. As a food lover, it is always through smell that I first get attracted to food.
Comfort foods: so many, not sure where to start. However, the biggest comfort food has to do with who makes it, I love cooking and being in the kitchen with friends and family making meals together. For my wedding I was lucky enough to have a wonderful group of friends and family who literally camped at my house for three days, to produce amazing food made with so much love. But if I have to choose… a home-made lasagna.
Favorite book: At the age of 18 I read Ishamel, by Daniel Quinn. Although i don't remember all the details of the book, I remember the sense of connection to nature I felt after finishing it sitting watching the sunset on the red sea. The book's narrator is a gorilla that is teaching us, humans, how to better connect to this earth and to stop being "takers." "leavers" which are known as the "primitive people" see that the "man belongs to the world" rather than the "world belongs to man."
Sayfe Kiaei has been with ASU since January 2001. He is a professor and Motorola Endowed professor and chair in analog and RF integrated circuits. He directs ASU's Center on Global Energy Research and is also the director of NSF Connection One research center with a focus on integrated communication system. Kiaei was the associate dean of research at the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering from 2009 to 2102. From 1993 to 2001, he was a senior member of technical staff with the Wireless Technology Center and Broadband Operations at Motorola where he was responsible for the development of RF and transceiver integrated circuits, GPS RF IC and digital subscriber lines (DSL) transceivers. Kiaei was an associate professor at Oregon State University from 1987 to 1993. He was the co-director of the industry-university center for the Design of Analog/Digital ICs (CDADIC). He has published over 100 journal and conference papers and holds several patents and his research interests are in wireless transceiver design, RF and Mixed-Signal IC's in CMOS and SiGe. His research projects are funded by a large number of industrial sponsors including Motorola Inc., Intel, the National Science Foundation, Texas Instruments and SRC. Kiaei is an IEEE Fellow, and has been the chair and on the technical program committee of several IEEE conferences including RFIC, MTT, ISCAS and other international conferences.
I develop pedagogy for environmental education with innovations based on eco-phenomenology and biomimicry.
Job Titles:
- Senior Sustainability Scientist
I study the emergence of complex social behavior in leaderless, decentralized groups, particularly social insect colonies. My lab works to understand the behavioral rules and communication networks that allow colonies of ants and bees to act as a collective intelligence. We also work with engineers to translate lessons from social animals to human-designed systems, and to develop innovative tools for the analysis of behavior.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor
- 37 Associate Director of Research for the Biomimicry Center / Research Scientist, School of Life Sciences
I am interested in how autonomous systems make adaptive decisions in changing environments. I study this problem in the contexts of non-human living systems (ants, bees), socio-technological systems (cloud-sourced human computation), and artificial systems (robotics, automation systems in the built environment). I am particularly interested in translating knowledge across these three spaces, as in translating the way ants achieve macronutrient regulation to methods for balancing energy around buildings that meet human needs with efficiency and resilience that rival state-of-the-art methods.
Our research is in artificial photosynthesis in which we attempt to translate the lessons from photosynthesis into design principles for solar energy conversion technologies able to sustainability meet human needs for food, fuel and fiber. I give a series of lectures on sustainability to all entering students in SMS and participate in biochemistry graduate courses in SMS I am on the advisory council of institutes for sustainability in Brazil and hope to see those institutes affiliated in some way with TBC. http://www.itv.org/en/
Dr. Chen's research is mainly focused on dynamic systems and control, with applications to automotive and transportation systems. Through the collaboration with TBC faculty, I aim to achieve safer, more energy efficient, and more agile control of complex mobility systems by applying bio-inspired control algorithms, abstracted and observed from flocking and swarm behaviors.
Job Titles:
- Instructor / School of Life
I study insect societies: ants, cockroaches, honeybees, and carpenter bees. These animal societies may offer biological inspiration for solving human problems. With their complex collective behavior and division of labor the social insects have had to solve many challenges that (in one form or another) might similarly face humanity. As a teacher, I always hope to convey to my students the often amazing design solutions that living creatures have evolved in response to the challenges of survival!