This paper introduces the concept of Integrated Structures and Materials Design (ISMD). ISMD combines materials engineering and structural engineering for the purpose of more effectively achieving targeted structural performance, by adopting material composite properties as the shared link. An application example, design of a bridge deck link-slab, is used to illustrate the essential elements o...

Since the announcement in 2011 of the Materials Genome Initiative by the Obama administration, much attention has been given to the subject of materials design to accelerate the discovery of new materials that could have technological implications. Although having its biggest impact for more applied materials like batteries, there is increasing interest in applying these ideas to predict new su...

S olid electrolytes play an important role in several technological applications, such as fuel cells. Optimization of such materials is often done by trial and error. The work of Andersson et al. (1) in this issue of PNAS demonstrates that the choice of dopants can be guided by computer simulations, in which parameters that are essential for the high ionic conductivity are determined from a ser...

This dissertation presents three years of academic inquiry into the question of what role materials play in interaction design and participatory design processes. The dissertation aims at developing conceptual tools, based on Dewey’s pragmatism, for understanding how materials aid design reflection. It has been developed using a research-through-design approach in which the author has conducted...

This article reviews recent inverse techniques that we have devised to optimize the structure and macroscopic properties of heterogeneous materials such as composite materials, porous media, colloidal dispersions, and polymer blends. Optimization methods provide a systematic means of designing materials with tailored properties and microstructures for a specific application. This article focuse...