Prof. Zhigang Suo is the recipient of the 2012 William Prager Medal from the Society of Engineering Science and a member of the US National Academy of Engineering. This AMR audio interview describes his pursuit to bring fundamental principles of deformation, fracture, diffusion, and thermodynamics to the creation of cutting-edge knowledge in the modeling and design of polymer gels and lithium-ion batteries, as well as his commitment to traditional and novel forms of scientific collaboration, including as co-founder of the iMechanica website and promoter of scientific exchange and mutual understanding between the US and China.