Snake skin, tree roots, and nitrogen-burping microbes! In our third episode on biogeotechnics, Jason DeJong discusses a few of the wild-sounding research projects that focus on imitating or controlling natural processes — to create safer, and more efficient, infrastructure.

Researchers develop ideas the Center for Biomediated and Bioinspired Geotechnics (CBBG), and they can test theirconcepts at places like NHERI at UC Davis and at otherfacilities in the NSF-funded Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI). Both NHERI and CBBG are funded by the National Science Foundation, demonstrating the nation’s commitment to fostering and deploying emerging new designs and technologies in bioengineering.

“It’s a nice combination. We have technologies emerging from one group, and we have these established, shared-use national resources provided through NHERI.”