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2024 Sustainability Forum: Biodesign 
 

Thank you for joining us! It was a fantastic event! Keep an eye out for the next Sustainability Forum in Fall 2025.
 

For this year’s ESDRI Sustainability Forum, the theme was Biodesign. As ESDRI’s mission is rooted in this cross-disciplinary research realm, we heard exciting new developments and perspectives from our Â鶹ÊÓƵ faculty and engaged with global leaders in the field of biodesign.

What is biodesign?

Biodesign pulls influence and inspiration from two very different fields:

Biological science asks: How does life, at scales from cells to the globe, flourish in the face of a destructive environment and scarce resources? How does life change over time and space to deal with these challenges, and how does it adapt to new problems that the world presents? In short, biological science seeks an understanding of how life works.

Design approaches are a way to develop innovative solutions for problems faced by humanity. Creativity is combined with testing, iteration and feedback to create new technologies and ways of approaching the world. In short, design approaches seek to solve problems to improve human well-being.

Biodesign combines design approaches with knowledge and tools of biological systems. However, biodesign also goes further than this, advocating for integration of life into the technology that humanity relies on day-to-day. Living organisms are envisioned as incorporated into fabrication processes, products, and built and urban systems.

Speakers:

Daniel Grushkin, TômTex Inc.

Daniel is a biotechnology thinker and entrepreneur. He is Founder of , an international student competition and education program that partners artists, designers, and scientists with students to imagine and create the future of biotechnology. He is the Editor of the anthology Grow the Future. Daniel is Cofounder of , a nonprofit community laboratory dedicated to promoting citizen science and access to biotechnology. He was a Fellow at , a Fellow at the , and an Emerging Leader in Biosecurity at the , and a Visiting Scholar at the . He is currently Chief Strategist at , a next generation materials biotechnology company.

As a former journalist, he has reported on the intersection of biotechnology, culture, and business for publications including Bloomberg Businessweek, Fast Company, Scientific American and Popular Science.
 

Dr. Elda Hegmann, Â鶹ÊÓƵ 

Elda obtained her Ph.D. in 2003 at Université Laval in Québec (Canada). After Postdoctoral research positions at Queen’s University, University of Manitoba and the National Research Council Canada (NRC), and as a Research Officer at the NRC, she moved to the USA to join the Liquid Crystal Institute (now Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute) at Â鶹ÊÓƵ in 2011 and the Department of Biological Sciences in 2017. Dr. Hegmann’s research in biomaterials has produced several peer-reviewed articles and 4 patents. Dr. Hegmann serves as the CEO on two start-up companies, TOREL LLC and Biostica LLC.
The focus of Dr. Hegmann's research group is the use of liquid crystals (LCs) and Liquid Crystal Elastomers (LCEs) for biological applications, with the research divided into three main directions. The first direction focuses on tissue regeneration to shorten wound-healing times by providing cell-friendly supports and scaffolds in the form of liquid crystal-functionalized elastomers designed for the particular needs of different types of cells (i.e. stem cells, neurons, and muscle tissue), and tuned according to the cell response observed. The second direction aims at the development of microneedles/micropillars as biodegradable and effective transdermal drug delivery systems, as well as vesicles/liposomes (based on lyotropic liquid crystal systems) as a means for early detection of diseases and for drug delivery systems. The third direction aims at the formulation and preparation of polymer membranes that are used in the development of devices for toxic gases and vapor sensors. Our sensors provide a non-colorimetric unmistakable visual output (symbols, text), are highly customizable (size, design), multi-analyte capable, and where the Sensor is the Display.

Britta Bielak, NCIDQ, Â鶹ÊÓƵ 

Britta is an Assistant Professor of Interior Design at Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design. She holds an MFA in Interior Environments from Virginia Commonwealth University and a BA in Psychology and Studio Art from the University of Virginia. She has worked as a designer and project manager at award-winning architecture firms, founded an art and design business specializing in interactive design installations, and taught at Virginia Commonwealth University and the Design Institute of San Diego, both CIDA accredited institutions. As an educator, designer and artist, Britta’s research focuses on advancing human health and environmental justice advocacy through biomaterial research and creative scholarship projects. From 2021-2023 she served as co-founder and VP of Design at , a regenerative design company developing the first structural mycelium-based composite for the building materials market. Britta fabricated the first structural mycelium stool using their technology and is currently engaged with other innovative biomaterial research for potential use in the built environment.

Moderated by Dr. Sarah Eichler, Â鶹ÊÓƵ 

Sarah is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Â鶹ÊÓƵ and agroecologist working on sustainable plant management practices at the cross-roads of food production, energy, and climate science - such as using cover crops for soil carbon storage, enhancing albedo in agroecosystems, and designing perennials and forestry into agricultural landscapes. She received a B.S. at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, M.S. at University of Notre Dame, and Ph.D. in Energy Science and Engineering from the University of Tennessee. She has published on a variety of topics including aquatic biogeochemistry, plant cell wall carbohydrates, soil dynamics in sustainable cropping systems, stakeholder engagement to assess sustainability of agricultural landscapes, Clean Power Plan visualization tool, knowledge sharing apps for farmers, and albedo in agricultural fields. She was a postdoctoral research fellow for and contributed to the Drawdown Review models for Land use, Agriculture, and Bioenergy Solutions. Most recently she received funding to study the invasion dynamics of Box Tree Moths in the Midwest USA.

Parking:

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