Emergent Phenomena in Active and Living Materials

This GRS brings together early-career researchers to share ideas on discovering design principles in biological systems and developing biomimetic materials, with an emphasis on structures at all scales. We seek to introduce emerging materials scientists, physicists, engineers, biologists, and chemists to one another with the goal of formulating new ways to inscribe the vital functions found in biological systems into synthetic materials and complex structures.

Topics will include recent experimental and theoretical advances in biomimetic soft matter, life-like active materials, non-equilibrium statistical physics, and multiscale mechanics of biological systems. We will address the field’s competing need for convergence and multiplicity between experts in biological and engineering science. This meeting is an opportunity for graduate students and post-docs to present their intriguing and unpublished research in these and related topics. It will emphasize the exchange of ideas and experiences between people and disciplines, leading to new collaborations and career development. We will explore the role that modeling, data, and analytics can provide for the whole multi-scale and adaptive material community. Talks by students and post-docs, selected from submitted abstracts, will complement the main poster sessions and exciting sessions to promote career development.