Mechanics-Grounded Modeling and AI for Bioinspired Multiscale Materials and Structures
Date: 2026/03/17 – 2026/03/17
Academic Seminar: Mechanics-Grounded Modeling and AI for Bioinspired Multiscale Materials and Structures
Speaker: Wei Lu, Ph.D. candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Time: 9:00-10:00 a.m., March 17, 2026 (Beijing Time)
Location: online
Abstract
Nature’s fibrous systems, such as spider silks and webs, achieve exceptional combinations of strength, toughness, and adaptability through hierarchical organization across scales. Translating these principles into engineering practice remains challenging because structure-property relationships are multiscale, nonlinear, and expensive to probe using experiments or high-fidelity simulations alone. In this talk, I will present mechanics-grounded AI frameworks that integrate multiscale simulation, data-driven modeling, and generative design to enable predictive and prescriptive bioinspired engineering. I will highlight (i) graph-based learning models that map structural topology to mechanical performance and support de novo design of web-inspired architectures, validated through prototyping; (ii) sequence-to-property modeling of fibrous materials using generative models and high-throughput molecular dynamics to connect molecular motifs to nanomechanical response; and (iii) multimodal reasoning tools that couple scientific figure understanding with design generation to accelerate hypothesis formation and exploration. I will also highlight the potential for this framework to generalize to other systems, such as keratin. Together, these studies demonstrate a closed loop from biological inspiration to AI prediction and physically informed design. I will conclude by outlining a research vision that extends beyond biomaterials toward sustainable architected materials and structures, integrating computational mechanics, AI, and design for resilient engineering systems.
Biography
Wei Lu is a Ph.D. candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), working with Prof. Markus Buehler in the Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics (LAMM). She received her B.A.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the University of Toronto. Her research combines computational structural mechanics, materials science, and AI/ML to understand and design high-performance bioinspired materials and structural systems across scales. Her work has been published in journals including PNAS, Advanced Functional Materials, and npj Computational Materials.