ASU is emerging as a leader in biomimicry, a field that focuses on learning from nature to solve human problems, as a new member in an international program.
ASU is now a member of the Biomimicry Institute’s Biomimicry Affiliate Program, making it the only U.S. institution to claim this status.
The Biomimicry Institute, based in Montana, works with different schools and establishments to promote education about the science.
ASU has several projects related to biomimicry, including InnovationSpace.
The program consists of a yearlong product design and development class for students across the three schools.
Industrial design associate professor Prasad Boradkar, the director of InnovationSpace, said it is a joint program run by ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, the W. P. Carey School of Business and the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.
“We work with the companies that may have important social problems to solve,” Boradkar said.
For example, students are currently developing toys for autistic children.
“The emphasis is on designing products that are socially good, that make [a] positive social impact but also minimize the impact on the environment,” he said.
An effective way to create sustainable design and development is to look at nature and mimic it, using the concept of biomimicry, Boradkar said.
He first came in contact two years ago with the institute after reading the book, “Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature,” by Janine Benyus, who also founded the institute in 2005.
After contacting the institute, he and his colleagues wrote grants to garner funding to have speakers, workshops and other involvement with the institute, Boradkar said.
About a month ago, however, the Biomimicry Institute contacted ASU to ask for its involvement in the affiliate program.
“I think they saw that there is significant research at ASU that’s happening which connects to biomimicry,” Boradkar said.
The founder also visited ASU several years ago to work with researchers who were working on photosynthesis and wrote about them in her book, he said.
Adrian Smith, a biology doctoral candidate and teaching assistant for InnovationSpace, is coordinating a conference at ASU called “Social Biomimicry: Insect Societies and Human Design,” from Feb. 18 to 20.
Social insect researchers will be at the conference to discuss how they use social insect science for applications to human design. Students can attend for free.
He also is helping create a future ASU course in biomimicry, which he hopes will be ready by spring 2011.
“[Biomimicry] is sort of the idea of looking at nature and looking at natural systems for inspiration and innovative ideas,” Smith said.
Cindy Gilbert, director of university education and manager of the Biomimicry Professional Certification program at the Biomimicry Institute, said in an e-mail that the major perk of ASU becoming part of the affiliate program is to join a “collaborative network that is building the first biomimicry minor programs in the world.”
ASU has several individuals that show a dedication and motivation to biomimicry and sustainable design, the main reason the University was invited to join.
The institute wanted strong representatives from schools in North American countries and looked for schools known for their research and programs, Gilbert said.
Reach the reporter at reweaver@asu.edu
