February 25, 2015
Professor Adrian Bejan is visiting our class this week to share with us his work on the Constructal Law.
The Constructal Law is a reoccurring pattern of dynamic development that Professor Bejan recognized in 1995 from his expertise in thermodynamics and his work on heat flow in the design of computer systems. It turns out that the pattern he found describes all dynamical systems. He has been able to apply the law to predict the shape of systems as diverse as the flow of rivers, the evolutionary development of the bodies of animals, and human movement through airports.
His book, Design in Nature, How the Constructal Law Governs Evolution in Biology, Physics, Technology and Social Organization, is a fascinating overview of his stunningly simple and powerful observation.
If you are interested in looking at more background on his work, see the Constructal Blog.
Professor Bejan is the J. A. Jones Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Duke University.
The Constructal Law is a reoccurring pattern of dynamic development that Professor Bejan recognized in 1995 from his expertise in thermodynamics and his work on heat flow in the design of computer systems. It turns out that the pattern he found describes all dynamical systems. He has been able to apply the law to predict the shape of systems as diverse as the flow of rivers, the evolutionary development of the bodies of animals, and human movement through airports.
His book, Design in Nature, How the Constructal Law Governs Evolution in Biology, Physics, Technology and Social Organization, is a fascinating overview of his stunningly simple and powerful observation.
If you are interested in looking at more background on his work, see the Constructal Blog.
Professor Bejan is the J. A. Jones Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Duke University.
