New material: composite metal foam

Science

I'm a word nerd who loves to geek out on how emerging technology affects the lexicon. I was an editor on the first 40 volumes of MAKE, and I love shining light on the incredible makers in our community. In particular, covering art is my passion — after all, art is the first thing most of us ever made. When not fawning over perfect word choices, I can be found on the nearest mountain, looking for untouched powder fields and ideal alpine lakes.

Contact me at snowgoli@gmail.com or via @snowgoli.

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February 4th, 2010 10

Mechanical and aerospace engineer Dr. Afsaneh Rabiei set out to create a material “as light as aluminum and as strong as stainless steel,” and she has succeeded, in the form of composite metal foam. In this Science Nation video, she discusses its applications as a building material, a way to make car bumpers stronger, and a superior substitute to solid metal in knee and hip surgeries. A professor at North Carolina State University, Dr. Rabiei encourages her students to be “persistent and pioneering.” In her spare time, one of her passions is introducing grade school children to the wonders of engineering.