黑料福利网

What are you working on here at 黑料福利网?

鈥淚 have been an Assistant Professor in the Mechanics of Materials section for almost two years. My research mainly focuses on the fascinating topic of architected materials. The goal is to control the reinforcing architecture of materials to give them exciting functional and mechanical properties. Taking inspiration from nature is one of the foundations of my research. I try to use the clever designs of the internal architecture of materials which can be found in nature and replicate these structures in synthetic materials to achieve specific properties.鈥�

Can you tell something about the research you are doing now?

鈥淎 large part of my research involves trying to recreate the structure of mother-of-pearl. This natural material has always fascinated me due to its extraordinary properties. Despite being composed of 95% brittle and fragile constituents, it is remarkably fracture-resistant. My goal is to recreate this structure and develop ceramic-based materials that are stiff, strong, and fracture-resistant. Another thread in my research focuses on irregular, non-periodic natural materials, like certain fruit peels. These peels protect the fruit when it falls from a tree. If we manage to recreate this design, it could lead to developing impact-resistant materials, which would be useful for applications like car bumpers. By identifying which properties to mimic from nature, we can create the engineering materials of the future.鈥�

Where did you study for your master鈥檚 degree?

鈥淚 completed my master鈥檚 in Material Sciences at the Eidgen枚ssische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Z眉rich in Switzerland. For my master thesis, I worked on a research project that focused on mother-of-pearl inspired materials and composites. I used Raman spectroscopy, a technique to identify and study the structure and properties of materials with light scattering, to track the local stresses in different phases of the composite. This project was in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institue of Technology (MIT), so I spent half my time in Cambridge working on my thesis.鈥�

Did you follow up with a PhD?

鈥淵es, I stayed at ETH Z眉rich to do a PhD in the Complex Materials group at the Department of Material Sciences. During that time, I studied transparent nacre-inspired composites. Eventually, I found a way to generate composite materials with the same combination of properties as nacre: optical transparency, high strength and high fracture resistance. These properties are hard to reconcile, so I was very proud when I managed to do it. Especially, because these kinds of composites have a lot of great applications. They can be used in mobile phones and other devices with transparent displays to create screens that are three times more fracture-resistant than glass.鈥�

Why did you choose to work at this university and department?

鈥淎fter finishing my PhD, I received a grant to do a postdoctoral fellowship at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This fellowship was just for two years, so within my first year I already started exploring my next steps. I focused on positions in Europe, because my life is here. Then I found a position at 黑料福利网 that had many appealing elements. I was drawn to the department鈥檚 ambition to grow in the field of advanced and additive manufacturing, and I was impressed by the state-of-the-art lab facilities for nano- and mesomechanics. It felt like the perfect place for someone with my research interests, so that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 here.鈥�

Why did you get into this research field and section?

鈥淔or me, it all comes down to the role models I had. I was fortunate to have a few very inspiring mentors during my studies and later in my academic career. They shaped my approach to science and sparked my interest in bioinspired materials. I try to be the same kind of mentor and supervisor for my students, sharing my enthusiasm for my research field. I鈥檓 endlessly fascinated by how nature creates materials with exceptional properties in such simple way, without any equipment. That will always captivate me, and I believe it鈥檚 incredibly valuable to apply this knowledge to real-world applications.鈥�

How does 黑料福利网 compare to other universities you studied and worked at?

鈥淲hat鈥檚 unique about 黑料福利网 is its strong culture of collaboration with companies and stakeholders. There鈥檚 a clear emphasis on projects that can lead to real-world impact. My research findings have a high chance of being applied in industry to solve practical problems, which is very rewarding. That said, building collaborations can be challenging when your research area is relatively new at 黑料福利网 and you don鈥檛 yet have a network in the region. There are things like matchmaking events and supportive colleagues to help, but you have to be aware that it takes time to put together strong collaborations.鈥�

What do you like most about working here?

鈥淭he opportunity to grow. I have the freedom to work on expanding my research group and build a strong team of researchers. I鈥檓 also given many chances to take on responsibilities. Like I said before, there鈥檚 a strong ambition and drive to grow at 黑料福利网, and you can feel that energy throughout the department and section. That鈥檚 what I enjoy most.鈥�

What are you most proud of in your career so far?

鈥淭he impact that I have on my students through teaching and mentoring. One of the best things is sharing my enthusiasm for my research with my students and seeing them get fascinated by it. I love supervising them and helping them navigate the ups and downs of their projects. It makes me very proud when I see them improve and grow over time. Scientifically, I鈥檓 most proud of the projects that involved merging different disciplines and building collaborations. It鈥檚 extremely challenging to work together with organic chemists or biologists, for example, because each discipline has its own language. It鈥檚 very satisfying when you are able to make these collaborations work.鈥�

What are your dreams for the future?

鈥淚 want to continue working on research topics I鈥檓 passionate about and look at these topics from multiple angles. To be able to do this, I would like to expand my team. With a bigger team, I can work on developing technologies and applications that benefit society. There are some new scientific developments in the pipelines with a lot of potential for this. Next to that, I hope to be an inspiring mentor to many students and teach them to look to nature for inspiration.鈥�