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2015 Winter Meeting Plenary
Location: Grande Ballroom C
Date: Sunday, January 4
Time: 7:30–8:30 p.m.
Adrian Bejan
Presider: Janelle Bailey
Evolution, Life and Sustainability, as Physics:
What the Constructal Law is, and how it gives us a new worldview,
by Adrian Bejan, Duke University
Why is “sustainability” such a natural urge, in each of us In this lecture I draw attention to the
law of physics of design evolution in nature (the Constructal Law) that provides the scientific basis
for sustainability. The human urge is about greater flow access with freedom to change, to evolve.
This urge is universal. Design evolution happens, it is natural, animate, inanimate and human
made. Evolutionary designs that illustrate this tendency are river basins, vascular tissue, animal
locomotion (fliers, runners, swimmers), athletes, power technology evolution, and city and air
traffic flow patterns. All the flows needed to sustain human life (food, transportation, heating,
cooling, water) are driven by the purposeful consumption of power, and as a consequence the
wealth of a country (the GDP) is directly proportional to its annual consumption of fuel. Sustainability
comes from greater freedom to change the flow architecture that sustains life, from water
and power, to the evolution of science, technology, law and government. Life is flow, and flow
leads to better flow over time.
Sunday
Dr. Bejan will be available from 8:30–9:15 p.m. to sign copies of his book:
“Design in Nature: How the Constructal Law Governs Evolution
in Biology, Physics, Technology, and Social Organization”
AAPT Poster Sessions
with Refreshments
Poster Session 1
8–9:30 a.m.
Monday, January 5
Grande Ballroom A
Poster Session 2
8:30–10 p.m.
Monday, January 5
Grande Ballroom A
Post Deadline Posters
3:30–5 p.m.
Tuesday, January 6
Grande Ballroom A
January 3–6, 2015
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