Recognized by NASA as a giant in heat transfer research, Prof. Simon Ostrach received the inaugural ASME Heat Transfer Division Memorial Award in 1975 and attained membership in the National Academy of Engineering in 1978 for his fundamental discoveries in the field of buoyancy-driven convection. This AMR audio interview paints a remarkable picture of six decades of intellectual leadership and advocacy, including his work as principal investigator on two NASA Spacelab missions in 1992 and 1995 that investigated surface-tension driven convection under microgravity conditions, his commitment to the rigorous integration of research and design, and his, at one time, insatiable appetite for the thrills of weightless flight on the NASA “Vomit Comet.”

Prof. Rodney Clifton is among the pioneers in the development of experimental techniques for characterizing high-strain-rate material response, recognized with membership in the National Academy of Engineering in 1989 and the ASME Timoshenko Medal in 2000. This AMR audio interview tells his story from a modest background in a one-room country school, through his labor on the early construction of Interstate 80 in Nebraska, to research on computational techniques for wave propagation in elastic-plastic materials, innovative approaches to characterizing the viscoelastic response of vocal folds, and a life-long commitment to teaching and learning.

Prof. Thomas J.R. Hughes is a leading authority

Prof. Gábor Stépán is the 2015 recipient of the ASME Thomas K. Caughey Dynamics Award in recognition of his seminal contributions to the analysis of stability of delay-differential equations with application to machine-tool vibrations, robot dynamics and control, wheel shimmy, and human balancing. This AMR audio interview depicts a research and educational career grounded in a love for applied mathematics and a desire for industrial relevance. It tells of his experiences with mainstreaming the counterintuitive effects of time delay, navigating a developing historical and geopolitical context at the conclusion of the cold war, and inspiring new generations of engineers to integrate practice and theory. 

Prof. Melany Hunt's research concerns the dynamics of particulate materials in dry or liquid-saturated environments with application to problems in industrial and geophysical processes. This AMR audio interview explores a high-impact career in science and engineering research, education, and administration, including her perspectives on the immersion of students in undergraduate research, innovative use of online course material, and unique student-oriented curricula, as well as the potential benefits of critically revisiting accepted scientific wisdom, and the challenge of capturing the sound of booming sand dunes after a good rain.

Prof. Julia Greer is a highly accomplished innovator in the area of nanoscale materials science and mechanics whose work has been recognized by the Sia Nemat-Nasser ASME Early Career Award, the Materials, Metals, and Minerals Society Early Career Faculty Award, and the Society of Engineering Science Young Investigator Medal. This AMR audio interview explores her pioneering contributions to the science of architectured hierarchical micro- and nanostructures, her engagement in high-impact outreach and translational research, her growth as a professional pianist, and the difficulty of rapping about nanoscale plasticity while playing a Bach partita.

Prof. Igor Mezic applies advanced methods of nonlinear dynamics and ergodic theory to the study of robust uncertainty management in complex networks and data assimilation in geophysical fluid dynamics. This AMR audio interview describes his path to a career of cutting-edge scientific research and engineering education, including his leadership in university-industry partnerships, his development of large-data diagnostic tools for forecasting coastal contamination from the 2010 Gulf oil spill, and his work on developing a curriculum in building energy efficiency.

Prof. Edwin Kreuzer is the President of the Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Hamburg, Germany, and former President of Hamburg University of Technology. This AMR audio interview describes his innovation of computer-aided methods in the analysis of multibody systems, his exploration of the nonlinear dynamics of airship-borne mechanical cranes and underwater robotic vehicles, and his perspectives on the need to train students to make creative use of fundamental knowledge of engineering science in service to society.

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.