SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Downtown in Syracuse University’s Center for Excellence, Zhao Qin, a civil and environmental engineering professor at SU, presented research from him and his graduate students. Their goal is to create better building materials inspired by nature. Bamboo shoots, clam shells, mushrooms and more have been focused on so far. The project even uses AI to better understand the patterns that exist in the cells of organisms so they can be replicated in synthetic materials.
The research of Qin and his students should be important to pretty much everybody because everybody could benefit from better building materials. Another SU professor in attendance thought that the lessons learned here could apply to one of the city’s most important pieces of infrastructure.
“All of us rely on materials. All the time. One great example is the viaduct for I-81,” said civil and environmental engineering professor Cliff Davidson. “That viaduct has a lot of weaknesses in it now because it’s so old. And so, you know, all of us are really influenced by the strength of the material that was used to build that elevated roadway.”
Davidson lauded Qin’s work because it gets at the microscopic level of materials, which makes for near-complete understanding. If you want to learn more about the research that goes on downtown, visit centerofexcellence.syracuse.edu.
Reporter: Downtown, in Syracuse University’s Center for Excellence, Doctor Zhao Qin presented research from him and his graduate students. Their goal is to create better building materials inspired by nature. Bamboo shoots, clam shells, mushrooms, and more have been focused on so far. The project even uses AI to better understand the patterns that exist in the cells of organisms so they can be replicated in synthetic materials.
Reporter: The research of Doctor Qin and his students should be important to pretty much everybody. Everybody could benefit from better building materials. But, another SU professor in attendance thought that the lessons learned here could apply to one of the city’s most important pieces of infrastructure. Which one? How about the one right behind me?
Cliff Davidson: All of us rely on materials. All the time. One great example is the viaduct for I-81. That viaduct has a lot of weaknesses in it now because it’s so old. And so, you know, all of us are really influenced by the strength of the material that was used to build that elevated roadway.
Reporter: Professor Cliff Davidson lauded Doctor Qin’s work because it gets at the microscopic level of materials, which makes for near-complete understanding. If you want to learn more about the research that goes on downtown, visit centerofexcellence.syracuse.edu. Alex Remoll, NCC News.
