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Improving innovation: Why biologists need to be at the design table

Of the thousands of biomimicry-inspired innovations budding throughout the world each day, a large number don’t include collaboration with a biologist.

Emilie Snell-Rood pointed to this stat—fewer than 8% of the nearly 300 studies on biomimetics published in the past 3 months and indexed in the Thomson Reuters Web of Science had an author working in a biology department—in a compelling article for Nature where she argues that embracing teamwork and bringing biologists of all kinds to the collaborate on biomimicry-based projects is necessary for continued, meaningful advancement of innovation. She writes:

With around 1.5 million described species, and probably some 9 million eukaryotic species in existence, researchers pursuing biomimetic approaches have barely scratched the surface of biological inspiration. Biologists from all sorts of disciplines have an extraordinary store of knowledge that could guide forays into a much richer diversity of natural systems. Such knowledge could also help to steer experimental approaches.

Biomimicry 3.8 co-founder Dr. Dayna Baumeister agrees, of course. In fact, almost 14 years ago in 2002, Dayna called for a broad discussion of the topic of training biologists for new careers in “emerging” paths in her doctoral dissertation.

Dayna identified biomimicry as an important job opportunity that could help thousands of new graduates leaving school with non-medical biology degrees find work. In the paper, she called for a conscious effort to be formed to train biologists who could design and help apply “biologically-inspired, more sustainable solutions for human needs.”

“Currently (in 2002), students in these disciplines (engineering, materials science, organizational development, chemistry, and industrial design, among others) tend to have very little biology training, and design challenges are addressed solely with tools commonly available within the specific discipline. Biomimicry breaks the barrier…” the dissertation says. 

Read Dayna’s the full chapter on Training Biologists for Emerging Niches in Non-traditional Jobs

Today, biomimicry innovations continue to grow, as Snell-Rood points out. Dayna has created the world’s first Master’s of Science in Biomimicry, as well as founded and runs the one-of-a-kind Certified Biomimicry Professional program, that trains professionals from a huge cross section of industries. It’s creating an educated base ready to innovate by emulating nature’s genius.

Continuing to connect biologists and biomimicry professionals with projects is crucial. Why? As Dayna points out in her paper, it’s estimated that our knowledge of the natural world doubles every five years.

Imagine how much more we could do with biomimicry if more biologists where present at the design table. More jobs, more innovations, and more discoveries guided by nature’s genius.

Learn more about biomimicry and Biomimicry 3.8, connect with us onFacebookTwitter (follow @Biomimicry38) and LinkedIn.

 

 

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