Biomimicry is an interdisciplinary innovation and design process that looks to emulate the brilliant biological forms, processes, and systems that you find in nature. In his talk, Derek Miller, a Biomimicry Fellow at the University of Akron, talks about some of the history of bio-inspired design, the different ways in which technology is allowing for new forms of biomimetic design, and some of the challenges of being part of a cross-disciplinary team.

Derek Miller is a designer, biologist, and artist looking to further this field as a Biomimicry Fellow in the Integrated Bioscience PhD Program at the University of Akron. He is sponsored by the Cleveland Foundation, and collaborates with teachers at MC2 STEM High School in Cleveland to integrate biomimicry into their curriculum.

Derek Miller is originally from Marion, Iowa. Being raised on taking apart computers, drawing in sketchbooks, and all-day adventures wandering the woods next to his childhood home has led him to appreciate both the arts and the sciences. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and Biology from the University of Northern Iowa, where he worked in a turtle research lab and took care of turtles, snakes, and alligators. Derek became strongly influenced by the inspiration from nature. It was this interdisciplinary approach that inspired Derek to pursue the field of Biomimicry at the University of Akron, where he hopes to use art and design as a way to reveal the genius of the natural world. His undergraduate experience as a designer and a biologist has shaped his thinking about how biology has influenced and continues to influence designers throughout time and across disciplines, and gives his perspective as a designer about the field of biomimicry.


This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx