The Science of Autonomic, Adaptive and Self-Sustaining Systems

The Gordon Research Conference on Multifunctional Materials and Structures aims to extend and accelerate interdisciplinary research activities in this emerging field, which incorporates mechanics, materials science, engineering science, physics, chemistry and biology. Multifunctional design encompasses materials, structures and/or material systems that have the ability to perform multiple functions through judicious combinations of structural properties and at least one additional functional capability as dictated by the system application requirements. The individual material elements are participating, concurrently or sequentially, in distinct, beneficial physical processes thereby delivering truly dramatic improvements in system-level efficiency beyond possible incremental improvements. Visionary contexts for multifunctional systems include (a) "autonomic" structures that can sense, diagnose and respond to external stimuli with minimal external intervention, (b) "adaptive" structures allowing reconfiguration or readjustment of functionality, shape and mechanical properties on demand, and (c) "self-sustaining" systems with structurally integrated power harvest/storage/transmission capabilities. The conference will address key scientific issues underpinning the advancement of these systems such as: translation of model biological functions to synethetic materials, accelerating transport or dynamic chemical changes in strong, stiff materials, optimizing interfaces between hard and soft materials, multi-physics modeling of multi-component systems, etc. The meeting will bring together a cross-section of academic scholars, government researchers and planners, and industry professionals thus catalyzing new efforts and worldwide collaborations.