Rather than scratching heads when faced with a seemingly impossible contradiction in a job, engineers could do worse than apply the Triz theory.
There has been quite a buzz around Triz, the Russian theory of problem solving, for some time. Since it was fully refined in the mid-1980s its use has been slowly spreading as word gets round, much like the increasing popularity of a political movement.
Applied Mechanics Division Banquet, Sheraton Hotel, Seattle, Washington, November 13th, 2007.
In order to try and get some of the vast store of engineering information we're sitting on out to a wider audience we've created a number of occasional subject guides for engineers and students. The aim is to highlight sources of information available from our Library and the Institution itself.
You can see an example of one of these (for the aerospace industry) here, from which you can browse to a whole host of others.
Please note the website and bookings page for the 2nd Investing in Alternative Energy event 1 February 2008, IMechE can be found at:
www.imeche.org/events/investing
The official brochure will be available shortly.
Further information
As a courtesy to mechanical professionals and academics at large, I would like to inform you about the current free access period to mechanical research including the following journals:
Journal of Damage Mechanics
Mathematics and Mechanics of Solids
From now until November 30, 2007, you can access any materials science, mechanics or engineering journals online (from volume 1, issue 1 to current) free of charge!
The abstract submission deadline for this next conference in the biennial Engineering Failure Analysis series (www.icefa.elsevier.com) is 30 November 2007.
The conference will take place in the coastal town of Sitges, just a short distance from Barcelona's international airport, from 13 to 16 July 2008.
The Disease Biophysics Group in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has a postdoctoral fellowship available for PhD/DSc scientists with backgrounds in cellular biomechanics. The applicants should have training in cell tissue culture, microscopy, and assays for probing the mechanical properties of cells, such as traction force microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and/or the use of magnetic tweezers.
Applicants should forward their CV (pdf) and examples of up to three manuscripts (pdf). Please have three references emailed to Professor Parker directly.
