Biomimicry is the process of emulating nature's strategies—which have been evolving for 3.8 billion years—to solve complex human problems. Join us for an introduction to this fascinating topic and its potential for advancement in education and sustainable design. Biomimicry, an approach to innovation that seeks inspiration from nature, often looks to the oceans and marine animals. Panelists will share their experience on this topic and how they are helping to address many of today’s environmental issues and inspire a new group of innovators to look to nature to create sustainable solutions.
Peter Lawrence is chairman and founder of Corporate Design Foundation and a management consultant. Currently he is working on how long term business innovation can be achieved through sustainable practice and using natural models. He has taught about design at business schools including: Babson, London Business School, Boston University School of Management, and UT Austin’s School of Business.
Sam Stier is Founding Director of the Center for Learning with Nature, a non-profit effort providing curricula and professional development to teachers to enrich STEM engagement in the classroom. Trained as an ecologist, Mr. Stier’s scientific research has been published in scientific journals, his curricula has been published in science teachers’ journals, he has published a book with Chelsea House on the Philippines for young readers, and contributed to a book on biomimicry with Candlewick Press for children. Mr. Stier served for several years as an environmental consultant to the World Bank, The U.S. Peace Corps, The Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, and World Wildlife Fund International. He was a National Science Foundation Fellow in Curricula Development, and was appointed to the Next Generation Science Standards Task Force by the Office of Planning and Instruction, Department of Education, for the State of Montana in 2012.
Mark Dorfman is a biomimicry chemist with Biomimicry 3.8, an organization founded on the premise that living organisms, by necessity, have developed sophisticated, highly-effective, life-friendly chemistries that could inspire provocative, sustainable chemistries for modern society. In the course of his work, Mark seeks out and applies the design principles of nature's time tested chemical strategies to the development of innovative solutions to the toxic chemical and material challenges of the 21st century.