2013-2 Weissburg: CBID

Natural Systems Community of Practice Webinar

Georgia Tech Center for Bio-Inspired Design

Marc Weissburg, Co-Director

Recorded May 17, 2013, 12 – 1pm CDT

Hosted by the INCOSE Natural Systems Working Group

George Studor, Chair (george.studor@incose.org)

Curt McNamara, Co-chair (curt.mcnamara@incose.org)

Our guest presenter is Marc Weissburg, Co-director of the Georgia Tech Center for Biologically Inspired Design(CBID). We will also introduce you to the INCOSE Natural Systems Working Group.

Abstract:

Georgia Tech's CIBD (www.cbid.gatech.edu) brings together a group of interdisciplinary biologists, engineers and physical scientists who seek to facilitate research and education for innovative products and techniques based on biologically-inspired design solutions. The participants of CBID believe that science and technology are increasingly hitting the limits of approaches based on traditional disciplines, and Biology may serve as an untapped resource for design methodology, with concept-testing having occurred over millions of years. Experiencing the benefits of Nature as a source of innovative and inspiring principles encourages us to preserve and protect the natural world rather than simply to harvest its products. CBID is committed to training the next generation of interdisciplinary professionals: The 21st century engineer is an inventor who is equipped with core strengths in engineering, but is also able to speak the language of biology and utilize its structures, processes, and principles. The 21st century biologist is a naturalist who is able to team with engineers and physical scientists to examine biological structures, processes, and systems in terms of evolved solutions to problems and as sources of engineered designs. The 21st century architect is a designer who turns to the natural world for inspiration as to function, form, material and ecological footprint.

Topics to be covered:

v INCOSE Natural Systems Working Group

v Georgia Tech CBID - an introduction

v The instructional process and applicable knowledge/skills of acquired by Georgia Tech graduates

v Relevant research areas available through the Georgia Tech staff

v Enabling search and AI tools (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiRDQ4hr9i8)

v Conclusions and Questions

Speaker Biography:

Marc Weissburg is a Professor of Biology and Co-Director of the Georgia Tech Biologically Inspired Design. He received his Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the State University of New York, Stony Brook. Located in the Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T), his research interests are: 1) Chemical ecology: chemically-mediated orientation and guidance in marine invertebrates, behavioral strategies for orientation in relation to fluid flow in aquatic environments; and 2) Sensory ecology and physiology: sensory physiology of chemo- and mechano-perception in marine crustaceans, development of chemosensory systems, neuroanatomy of crustacean chemosensory and mechanosensory systems, signal structure and transmission of chemical and fluid mechanical signals. He has been teaching biologically-inspired design and studying the pedagogy of teaching this design methodology for the past 8 years, for groups ranging from middle school children, engineering and biology undergraduates, to professional scientists and engineers.

Note: the webinar recording is too large for this site. Please send email to nswg-info@incose.org for access