Engineering Speakers
College of Engineering Distinguished Speakers Series
Constructal Law of Design and Evolution in Nature
Friday, April 5 at 4 pm—Minerals & Materials Engineering Building, Room U115
Adrian Bejan, PhD
J. A. Jones Distinguished Professor
Duke University
Abstract
The reoccurring patterns of nature have long puzzled even the most devoted proponents of chance and Darwin’s theory of evolution. But the Constructal Law changes the terms of this debate, and shows that a single law of physics governs the “design” behind everything that moves, whether animate or inanimate. According to the Constructal law, shapes and structures arise because they facilitate movement, in animal design, river basin design, traffic patterns, social dynamics, and technology and sports evolution.
Short Biography
Adrian Bejan received all his degrees from MIT: BS (1971, Honors Course), MS (1972, Honors Course) and PhD (1975). His research is in thermodynamics, applied physics, and the constructal law of design and evolution in nature. He is ranked by ISI among the 100 most-cited authors in all of Engineering (all fields, all countries, living or deceased). He is the author of 25 books and 550 peer-refereed journal articles. His index on ISI is 47. Professor Bejan was awarded 16 honorary doctorates from universities in 11 countries, for example the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) and the University of Rome I “La Sapienza”. He received numerous international awards for thermal sciences.
Previous Lectures
New Frontiers in the Pharmaceutical and Medical Sciences: Advanced Intelligent Hydrogels for Treatment of Diabetes, Cancer and Multiple Sclerosis
Thursday, March 7 at 4 pm—Great Lakes Research Center Room 202
Nicholas A Peppas, Sc.D.
Fletcher Stuckey Pratt Chair in Engineering
Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy
Chairman, Biomedical Engineering Department
Director of Center on Biomaterials, Drug Delivery, and Bionanotechnology
The University of Texas at Austin
Abstract
Engineering the molecular design of intelligent hydrogels by controlling recognition and specificity is the first step in coordinating and duplicating complex biological and physiological processes. We address design and synthesis characteristics of nover crosslinked networks capable of protein release as well as artificial molecular structures capable of specific molecular recognition of biological molecules. Recent developments in protein delivery have been directed towards the preparation of targeted formulations for protein delivery to specific sites, use of environmentally-responsive polymers to achieve pH- or temperature-triggered delivery, usually in modulated mode, and improvement of the behavior of their mucoadhesive behavior and cell recognition. Molecular imprinting and microimprinting techniques, which create stereo-specific three-dimensional binding cavities based on a biological compound of interest can lead to preparation of biomimetic materials for intelligent drug delivery, drug targeting, and tissue engineering. We have been successful in synthesizing novel glucose-binding molecules based on non-covalent directed interactions formed via molecular imprinting techniques within aqueous media.
Short Biography
Nicholas A. Peppas is the Fletcher S. Pratt Chaired Professor in the Departments of Chemical, Biomedical Engineering and Pharmacy, and Chairman of the Department of Biomedical Engineering of the University of Texas at Austin. Peppas is a world leader in biomaterials, polymer physics, drug delivery and bionanotechnology. The multidisciplinary approach of his research blends modern molecular and cellular biology with engineering to generate the next-generation of medical systems and devices for patient treatment. He set the fundamentals and rational design of drug delivery systems over the past forty years and developed models of drug and protein diffusion in controlled release devices and biological tissues. In 2012 he received the Founders Award of the National Academy of Engineering, the highest recognition of the Academy, for these contributions to the field. Peppas is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of France, the Royal Academy of Pharmacy of Spain, and the Academy of Texas. He has been recognized with awards from AIChE (Founders Award, William Walker Award, Institute Lecture, Jay Bailey Award, Bioengineering Award, Materials Award), the Biomedical Engineering Society (Distinguished Scientist Award), the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (Galletti Award), the Society for Biomaterials (Founders, Clemson and Hall Awards), the Controlled Release Society (Founders, Heller and Eurand Awards) and other societies. In 2008, AIChE named him on of the One Hundred Chemical Engineers of the Modern Era. He is President of the International Union of Societies of Biomaterials Science and Engineering, and Past-Chair of the Council of BME Chairs. Previously, he served as President of SFB and the Controlled Release Society. He is a fellow of AAAS, AIChE, APS, ACS, MRS, SFB, BMES, AIMBE, CRS, AAPS, and ASEE. He is a highly cited scientist (50,000 citations, H=110) and has supervised the research of 95 PhDs and about 180 postdocs and graduate students. Peppas holds a Dipl. Eng. from the NTU of Athens (1971), a Sc.D. from MIT (1973), and honorary doctorates from the Universities of Ghent, Parma, Athens and Ljubljana.
Video of Dr. Peppas Lecture on Michigan Tech Engineering Channel on Vimeo
Combining Fluid Dynamics and Electric Fields for Improved Microfluidic and Self-Assembly Devices
Thursday, March 21 at 4 pm—Great Lakes Research Center, Room 202
Nadine Aubry, PhD
Member, National Academy of Engineering
Dean, College of Engineering
Professor, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Northeastern University
Abstract
In this presentation, Dr. Aubry will report on progress made regarding some fundamental aspects of fluid flow problems targeting microfluidic and self-assembly applications. Particularly, she will describe some of our solutions to efficient fluid mixing and particle manipulation in small fluidic devices. Emphasis will be given to the dynamics of neutral particles in both bulk liquids and at fluid-liquid interfaces, and to fluid mixing in channels of simple geometry. Much of her work uses combinations of fluid dynamics and electric field phenomena which we investigate using experimental, numerical and theoretical tools.
Short Biography
Nadine Aubry is Dean of Engineering at Northeastern University. Prior to this, she was Lane Distinguished Professor, University Professor and Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. She has made pioneering research contributions to the low-dimensional modeling of turbulent flows and microfluidics. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). She is a former chair of the U.S. National Committee on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (USNC/TAM), and currently serves as Chair-Elect of the American Society of Physics Division of Fluid Dynamics. Dr. Aubry received a B.S. degree from the National Polytechnic Institute of Grenoble (France) and an M.S. degree from the Scientific and Medical University of Grenoble in 1984, and a Ph.D. from the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University in 1987.
