抄録
For over 4000 years Materials has been important to mankind. Today Materials links Physics, Chemistry, Geo and Bio sciences, Environmental science and Engineering. This is why Materials can help solve the big problems of the future. It is important to get across to students both the history of the subject and its linking role in modern engineering practice. This talk will introduce some of the ways that we do this in our teaching. Aspects of the underlying physics of material properties are brought out using charts created (by the student, in many cases) using the CES EduPack software developed by Granta Design and now used by over 800 Universities and Colleges worldwide. The parallels and differences between man-made and natural materials is well illustrated by comparing charts of the properties of each, suggesting bio-inspired materials for engineering and engineered materials for bio-replacement. New CES EduPack developments dealing with Materials and the environment make connections between the chemistry of materials and the impact that making and using them has on the environment. The motive here is to supplement the more traditional approach to materials teaching with broader scans of the materials world, bringing out the richness and diversity and at the same time drawing out the connections that link them.
