ABOUT

I am a materials scientist, computational designer, and architect. My interest is in developing new materials for our buildings through control of the nano- and micro- structure of matter.

Short bio: I did my integrated Bachelor+Master’s in architecture. After spending some time in the industry, I co-founded a research-oriented design company with the goal of applying engineering and computational principles to solve architectural challenges. During this time, I became more and more interested in materials because I realized that the limitations of our buildings are due to the materials used rather than the design alone. With this in mind, I won the Fulbright Fellowship, which allowed me to pursue a second Master's degree in materials science and engineering in the US. I have co-authored several scientific publications and won two innovation and research awards.

Three concepts are the essence of my interests:
 

1. Nano and microstructural organization: Current nanotechnology techniques allow us to control the structure of materials on the small scale. We can create different morphologies by arranging particles in matter through self-assembly or top-down approaches. Using microscopic characterization, we can observe nanoscale structures and understand the principles that guide material structure.

2. Novel and enhanced material properties: The structure of a material defines its large-scale properties. Nanostructured materials are known for their unique properties. For example, high thermal insulation in thicknesses smaller than a micron, the structural color of chameleons and butterflies, and the high toughness of nacre in mollusc shells that originate from ordered arrays of nanoscale matter. Based on these principles, we can envision materials that enable controlled natural ventilation, dynamic light and energy modulation, together with excellent mechanical stability.

3. Scalability: However, the viability of any new material with depends on the process used to bring it to market. We need scalable, cost-effective methods to control the structure of materials. But that is only half of the challenge We also need to consider alternative base materials derived from abundant, renewable, and environmentally friendly sources.