Over a hundred years ago, the pioneers of aviation took flight in no small part due to material innovations ranging from novel casting of the aluminum engine block to judicious selection of natural materials. Unquestionably, the future of aerospace will look as different from today as the Wright Flyer and Curtiss June Bug differ from UAVs and F35s. However, the role of materials will remain unchanged; they will be the crucial ingredient that enables these future machines to push the performance envelope and become active partners with the human operator. The presentation will share thoughts on how the materials enterprise could accelerate this future through convergence of innovations in biotechnology, nanotechnology, automation, artificial intelligence, and infomatics.
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