This award supports a U.S.-Taiwan workshop that aims to develop a comprehensive research agenda for collaboration on the advancement of smart structure technology for the protection of civil and mechanical infrastructure systems based on the adaptation of biologically inspired sensing and actuation concepts. Jointly organized by the PI and Professor Chin-Hsiung Loh of National Taiwan University Department of Civil Engineering, the workshop will formulate a framework for integrated research frontier on emerging areas serving pressing societal needs. Complementary expertise will enable important research advances and training of students and junior researchers. The meeting, scheduled to take place in Taiwan in April 2009, will adopt an interdisciplinary approach, including field leaders in engineering, natural sciences, and medicine from both the U.S. and Taiwan to address key questions in the emerging fields of bio-inspired sensing and actuation fields, examining opportunities and technical challenges for infrastructure systems and mechanical systems. Young researchers and students will be targeted to participate in both the presentations and workshop discussions to define a collective future vision for joint research. Workshop results will be disseminated in the research community and to funding agencies to encourage collaborative research in this area. The workshop is cofunded by the Sensor Innovation and Systems program and the Structural Systems and Hazard Mitigation of Structures program, both in the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation in the Directorate for Engineering.
