BioInspired Design Conference

[Amanda M. Lawrence]

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You, your colleagues and your students are invited to the Bio-Inspired
Design - Enabling Technologies in the Life and Materials Sciences
Conference to be held at Mississippi State University (MSU), August
20-22, 2008.

This conference is being funded by MSU in response to a growing
interdisciplinary effort focused toward the advancement of technology
beyond current capabilities and to bridge Life and Materials Sciences
through Bio-Inspired Designs. Several MSU core facilities contributing
to this interdisciplinary enterprise include the Center for Advanced
Vehicular Systems, the Electron Microscope Center, and the Facility for
Organismal and Cellular Imaging. This effort seeks to 1) attract
regional and National interests working at the interface between Life
and Materials Sciences, 2) involve students, faculty, corporate partners
and industry in these interdisciplinary efforts, and 3) serve as a forum
for the ex-change of knowledge through solicitations for abstracts and
presentations coupled with open information exchange groups and
discussion panels to round out a dynamic program.

We have a keynote speaker list that includes recognized leaders in the
Life and Materials Sciences. Speakers were chosen because each has a
cross-disciplinary focus that transcends the *Bio-Inspired Design*
concept. We will also have a series of demos/tutorials/workshops
sponsored by corporate partners and focused on sharing state-of-the-art
materials and life science technologies. We believe this symposium will
act as a catalyst for on-campus, regional, and national initiatives in
this important area. Our vision for conference outcomes is to facilitate
conversation and idea exchange between the life scientists and engineers
from diverse areas.

We ask that you share this information widely and encourage
participation by engineers, architects, life scientists and any others
interested in Bio-Inspiration in the broad sense. Please go to
www.bioinspired.msstate.edu for more information on the keynote
speakers, program, and registration. We will waive all registration fees
for students.  A key contact will be Anna Chromiak
([hidden email]) if you have any questions regarding
logistics.

Please give this invitation your positive consideration and distribute
it to your faculty/colleagues/students and industry partners. We look
forward to hearing from you and having your participation at the
BioInspired Design conference, August 20-22.

Sincerely,
Giselle Thibaudeau, Director Electron Microscope Center,
[hidden email]
Randall German, Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems Director,
[hidden email]
Scott Willard, co-Director Facility for Organismal and Cellular
Imaging, [hidden email]