Dr. Marc André Meyers is a world-renowned materials scientist and Distinguished Professor at the University of California San Diego, holding joint appointments in the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering and the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. After earning his PhD in Physical Metallurgy from the University of Denver in 1974, he established himself as a leading authority in materials science with a distinguished career spanning five decades. His leadership roles have included serving as Director of UCSD's Institute for Mechanics and Materials and as Adviser to the Director of the Materials Science Division at the U.S. Army Research Office. Dr. Meyers has built a remarkable interdisciplinary career that bridges fundamental materials research with practical applications across multiple sectors.
Dr. Meyers has made seminal contributions to understanding the dynamic behavior of materials, particularly in extreme conditions involving high-speed deformations and rapid fracture processes. His groundbreaking research on the fragmentation and pulverization of ceramics has provided critical insights for applications ranging from armor development to anti-terrorism technologies. He is equally renowned for his pioneering work in biological and bioinspired materials, where he has systematically studied the remarkable properties of natural structures including toucan beaks, abalone shells, fish scales, and pangolin armor. These investigations have revealed sophisticated design principles in nature that inform the development of next-generation lightweight, high-strength composite materials with transformative potential for aerospace, defense, and medical applications.
Beyond his experimental research, Dr. Meyers has profoundly shaped the field through his influential textbooks Dynamic Behavior of Materials and Mechanical Behavior of Materials, which have educated generations of materials scientists worldwide. As co-founder of the EXPLOMET conference series and a Fellow of multiple prestigious societies including ASM International, The Minerals Metals & Materials Society, and the American Physical Society, he has cultivated international research communities that advance materials science on a global scale. His recent recognition with the 2023 Robert Moskovic Award underscores the enduring impact of his contributions to dynamic materials behavior. Demonstrating remarkable versatility, Dr. Meyers has also channeled his scientific expertise into fiction writing, producing novels that explore the human dimensions of scientific discovery and the ethical challenges facing researchers in the modern world.
