Readings | Freshman Seminar: The Nature of Engineering | Materials Science and Engineering

Reference Book

There are no assigned readings for particular class sessions. However, students are expected to read:

Benyus, J. Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. New York, NY: HarperTrade, 2002. ISBN: 9780060533229.

Background Readings: From The Engineering of Trees (2003)

Students interested in the topics of trees, plants and musical instruments may consult the following readings:

Engineering of Trees: Handout 1 ( This resource may not render correctly in a screen reader. PDF)

Engineering of Trees: Handout 2 ( This resource may not render correctly in a screen reader. PDF)

Engineering of Trees: Handout 3 ( This resource may not render correctly in a screen reader. PDF)

Easterling, K. E., R. Harrysson, L. J. Gibson, and M. F. Ashby, F. R. S. "On the Mechanics of Balsa and Other Woods." Proceedings of the Royal Society London A383 (1982): 31-41.

Gibson, L. J., M. F. Ashby, and K. E. Easterling. "Structure and Mechanics of the Iris Leaf." Journal of Materials Science 23 (1988): 3041-3048.

Gibson, L. J., M. F. Ashby, G. N. Karam, U. Wegst, and H. R. Shercliff. "The Mechanical Properties of Natural Materials. II. Microstructures for Mechanical Efficiency." Proceedings of the Royal Society London A450 (1995): 141-162.

Gibson, L. J., K. E. Easterling, and M. F. Ashby, F. R. S. "The Structure and Mechanics of Cork." Proceedings of the Royal Society London A377 (1981): 99-117.

Gibson, Lorna J., and Michael F. Ashby. Cellular Solids: Structure and Properties. 2nd ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999, pp. 101-103, 148, 399. ISBN: 9780521499118.

Niklas, Karl J. "How to build a Tree." Natural History 2 (1996): 48-52.

McMahon, Thomas A. "The Mechanical Design of Trees." Scientific American 233 (1975): 93-102.

Kahle, E., and J. Woodhouse. "The Influence of Cell Geometry on the Elasticity of Softwood." Journal of Materials Science 29 (1994): 1250-1259.

McIntyre, M. E., and J. Woodhouse. "On Measuring the Elastic and Damping Constants of Orthotropic Sheet Materials." Acta Metall 36, no. 6 (1988): 1397-1416.

Barlow, C. Y. "Materials Selection for Musical Instruments." Proceedings of the Institute of Acoustics 19, part 5 (1997).

Burkle, Lloyd, and Henri D. Grissino-Mayer. "Stradivari, Violins, Tree Rings, and The Maunder Minimum: A Hypothesis." Dendrochronologia 21, no. 1 (2003): 41-45.