Abstract
The growing demand for sustainability in materials design and manufacturing is driving breakthroughs that reduce environmental impact while enhancing performance and efficiency. In this talk, I will present our research at the intersection of bioinspired design, mathematical tiling, and artificial intelligence (AI) to address key sustainability challenges. First, we investigate a novel aerodynamic design inspired by owl feathers and cicada wings, leading to a sinusoidal serration propeller that improves flight efficiency and reduces noise. Next, we explore composite structures based on aperiodic monotiles, which offer superior mechanical properties and durability compared to conventional patterns, leading to design guidelines to extend the lifetime of materials. Finally, we introduce an AI-driven monitoring system for additive manufacturing that detects and corrects anomalies in real-time, enhancing component quality and reducing waste. These advances have a potential to enable a wide range of applications, paving the way to create more resilient structures and develop greener manufacturing technologies along the way.
About the Speaker
Dr. Grace X. Gu is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley and currently holds the Don M. Cunningham Endowed Professorship. She received her PhD and MS in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. The research interests of the Gu Group focus on creating new materials with superior properties for mechanical, biological, and aerospace applications using computational modeling and machine learning, as well as developing intelligent additive manufacturing processes to realize complex material designs. Gu is the recipient of several awards, including the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), ARO Early Career Program Award, DARPA Young Faculty Award, AFOSR Young Investigator Award, ONR Young Investigator Award, SES Young Investigator Medal, ASME Sia Nemat-Nasser Early Career Award, and Sloan Research Fellowship. Gu has co-organized symposiums at various conferences and serves as an editor of Journal of Intelligent Materials Systems and Structures and Composites Science and Technology. She organizes an annual 3D printing workshop at Berkeley aimed at inspiring the next generation of students to pursue careers in science and engineering.
Host: Professor Taher Saif