MatSE Soft Materials Seminar Calendar

A recurring theme in materials science is that new functionality often comes from how matter is organized, not only what it is made of. This seminar introduces entangled matter as a classical, mechanical idea: materials built from many interacting units, where geometry, interlocking, and contact networks shape the collective response. Using examples that span programmed building blocks and interlocked and woven architectures, I will show how a geometry-first design logic can produce emergent mechanical behavior such as unusual combinations of softness and strength, high energy dissipation, impact resilience, and reconfigurability. We will move from fundamental principles of interlocking and weaving toward a vision for the future: scalable fabrication, predictive data-driven modeling, and the realization of physical intelligence. I will discuss how these architectures open new pathways for protective structures, soft robotics, wearable devices, and distributed mechanical computing, offering a rich playground for discovery at the intersection of mechanics, geometry, and design.