ME 903 Graduate Seminar: Professor Astrid Layton

The ME 903: Graduate Student Lecture Series features campus and visiting speakers who present on a variety of research topics in the field of mechanical engineering. Professor Astrid Layton is professor at the University of Texas A&M.

Presentation Title: Tackling Engineering’s Sustainability and Resilience Problems Using Biological Systems

Abstract: The resilient and sustainable characteristics of Nature’s ecosystems are the result of millions of years of
design iterations. These complex systems of systems are made up of interacting species that support their own needs
while maintaining system-level functions. Dr. Layton will discuss ecosystems as a relatively untapped source of design
inspiration for improving the resilience and sustainability of our human-engineered networks. Adapting quantitative
descriptors and analysis techniques from ecology for human designers enables desirable ecosystem characteristics to
be used as optimization and design guides for everything from industrial resource networks to power grids. Ecological
characteristics such as high levels of materials/energy cycling and a unique balance between redundant and efficient
pathways offer novel routes to achieving traditionally ‘at odds’ engineering goals like resilience, sustainability, and cost.