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SUMMARY:MechE Colloquium: From neurons and sunflowers to actuators and sof
 t robots: the fascinating dynamics of active materials
DTSTART:20230314T120000
DTEND:20230314T130000
DTSTAMP:20260501T002427Z
UID:c72b14db37bf79586d2d9331c53b4c2cffe782b8e1b4aaf6b0261159
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Prof. Alain Goriely\, Mathematical Institute\, University of O
 xford\nAbstract: The world around us\, both natural and man-made\, is fill
 ed with structures that respond to external stimuli and adapt their intern
 al structures to perform specific functions. For example\, plants have th
 e ability to sense changes in their environment\, such as changes in grav
 ity or light\, and modify their shape accordingly to survive. During devel
 opment\, neurons respond to their surroundings by growing and connecting 
 different parts of the brain. Additionally\, the arms of octopuses and tru
 nks of elephants are stunning examples of the versatility and beauty of r
 esponsive structures that inspire the development of soft robotics. In the
  field of engineering\, liquid crystal elastomers can be designed to resp
 ond to light or heat\, offering exciting opportunities for new devices and
  actuators.\n\nIn this talk\, I will delve into the theory of material act
 ivation\, with a focus on slender structures such as active filaments. I w
 ill propose a unified mathematical framework to model how multiple stimul
 i can be combined at the microscopic level to produce changes at the macr
 oscopic level. This framework will allow us to uncover general principles 
 for microstructure organization and activation. Furthermore\, the feedbac
 k loop created by shape-shifting in response to external sources can produ
 ce complex dynamics similar to natural behaviors\, providing elegant solu
 tions to functional problems.\n\nBiography: Alain Goriely is a mathematici
 an and scientist with a broad range of interests in mathematical methods\,
  mechanics\, sciences\, and engineering. He is particularly renowned for h
 is contributions to the field of solid mechanics\, both fundamental and ap
 plied\, and for developing a mathematical theory of biological growth\, wh
 ich he explores in detail in his monograph "The Mathematics of Mechanics i
 n Biological Growth". Goriely earned his PhD from the University of Brusse
 ls in 1994\, where he later became a lecturer. In 1996\, he joined the Uni
 versity of Arizona and established a research group within the highly rega
 rded Program of Applied Mathematics. In 2010\, he took up a position at th
 e University of Oxford as the inaugural Statutory Professor of Mathematica
 l Modelling and Fellow of St. Catherine's College. He currently serves as 
 the Director of the Oxford Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. 
 In addition to his academic work\, Goriely is also active in scientific ou
 treach\, sharing his insights and findings on a variety of topics related 
 to his research\, including tendril perversion in plants\, twining plants\
 , umbilical cord knotting\, whip cracking\, the shape of seashells\, and b
 rain modelling.  For his contributions to mathematics and sciences\, Gori
 ely was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2022.
LOCATION:MED 0 1418 https://plan.epfl.ch/?room==MED%200%201418 https://epf
 l.zoom.us/j/64230566011
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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