Biomimicry: Education Options and Alternatives

The Problem

“Biomimicry education is out of reach.” 

“University courses are monstrously expensive.”

“I can’t get funding for online / overseas / part-time university study.”

I’ve heard this a few times recently.  If you feel deeply that you want to pursue a career in biomimicry but are struggling to move into next steps, here I suggest ways you can start today.

~~~~~

(10 minute read, updated September 2024)

~~~~~

What can we learn from the auto-adaptive spring of a cucumber tendril?

Backstory

I was in a similar position some years ago – curious about the discipline but confused about how to do it. 

Like:  What are the steps to go from nature-inspiration to successful innovation? 

And:  What is it about biomimicry that resonates so clearly? 

A major upgrade came with the online Biomimicry Certificate Course through Arizona State University (ASU).  I committed a year of time and disposable income to the course and came out the other side with a key learnings that unlocked this career for me.

Would I recommend this path for others? 

Maybe not anymore. 

That academic certification was helpful at the time, but there are alternatives now - alternatives that cost less, are easier to fit into a full schedule, and (from my sample size of one) more effective at teaching the core principles.

If I was to start again today, this is the path I’d choose.

~~~~~

Courses and Community : Learn the How and Why of Biomimicry

After I completed the ASU program, I took several online courses that shared the same insights with a smaller investment in time, energy, and income.  Here’s three courses that cover the core concepts of biomimicry and teach you how to apply them.

Sharing Nature’s Genius – The HOW of nature-inspired work. The steps and research that will turn a biological insight into a new product, service, or solution. Be prepared to read and discuss scientific journal articles (don’t worry, the teachers and cohort are super helpful here).  I can’t overemphasize how good this course is: they are teaching the steps that move biomimicry from ‘an interesting idea’ into an objective, science-based approach, the key insight that unlocked biomimicry for me.  Cohort based learning, bilingual English and Spanish. $600 USD ($200 early bird). If you can take only one online course, this should be it.

Inspired by Nature – The WHY of nature-inspired work.  Be prepared to explore your inner world, to consider what your role on a biomimicry team might be, and where you want to go in life. I took the teacher-led course but it looks like there is only a self-paced version at the moment.  Available in English. $600 USD

Learn Biomimicry - This business offers short self-paced videos which cover basic introductions to biomimicry ($150) as well two six-month courses, one for biomimicry practitioners and another for educators ($2800 each). The advanced programs focus on the biomimicry design process and provide feedback as you apply it to your own projects. The educator program guides those teaching biomimicry to others. These longer courses cover information equivalent to university-level courses I’ve seen elsewhere. Available in English.

(* Note: Prices current as of August 2024).

These courses each come with their own online communities that will connect you with experience practitioners and other beginners. If you’d rather start with a peer learning and focus on coursework later, here are two online communities that have emerged in 2024:

AskNature Hive — Organized by the Biomimicry Institute, this group provides an online platform to connect you with innovators, designers, educators, and researchers, as well as live monthly conversations that discuss applications in design, engineering, and sustainability. ($100/year)

Biomimicry Works — This heart-centered group is attracting storytellers, creators, and healers as they focus on community-building and conscious-co-creation. Here you’ll find a focus on metaphorical applications of biomimicry and values-based discussions that encourage you to deepen your relationship with nature.

~~~~~

***Find Your People***

The very best advice I can offer is to find your local community: groups and individuals who are actively growing the discipline in your city or region.  Do an internet search with the name of the closest city and words like ‘biomimicry’ or ‘nature-inspired.’ Look for gatherings, workshops, and conferences. If nothing comes up, try expanding your search to your province, region, country, or continent and swap out ‘biomimicry’ for related terms like:  

Green chemistry

Social entrepreneurship

Regenerative design

Innovation

Hackathon

While these are not biomimicry-specific, they will help you find a network of people who are working on real-world projects and open to nature-inspired approaches.  I’ve attended workshops and conferences in several disciplines, some local, some international, all valuable.

~~~~~

Level-Up Related Skillsets

Biomimicry is not a standalone practice – it is a process and ideology that needs to be applied to *something*.  There appear to be four core areas of practice: 

Life Sciences:  Biology, ecology, healthcare, medicine, microscopy, biology, environmental science, biotechnology…

Technology:  Engineering, materials science, computers, chemistry, math, physics, machine learning, AI, data science, robotics, …

Design / Art:  Industrial design, architecture, graphics, 3D modelling, fine arts, crafting, fashion, urban planning…

Business:  Sales, law, marketing, accounting, intellectual property, communications, government, entrepreneurship, systems…

It can be hard (if not impossible) to apply biomimicry if you don’t have a profession to apply it to. Biomimicry practitioners will tend to have skills in one or more of these categories. You should too.

If university-level biomimicry courses are out of reach due to funding, geography, or something else, focus on building academic credentials in these related skillsets and supplement with online biomimicry courses. 

~~~~~

Immerse Yourself

Week-long in-person workshops are the most expensive option on this list (on par with university courses) but the quickest way I’ve grown my international network.

Also, some of the best experiences of my life.

If money is tight I would suggest: (1) take one of the online courses before you go so that you can ask good questions and get the most out of the in-person experience, and (2) extend the trip for a week and turn it into a holiday.  Adding a couple days to the beginning or end of one of these trips has allowed me to establish long-lasting connections with others who did the same.

If time is the issue and money is plentiful you could start with one of these immersions. Dive in and spend a week in nature connecting with others who are investing in the discipline. 

I’ve attended workshops offered by Biomimcry 3.8 and NatuR&D — both have high-quality programs and excellent teachers.  Over the years I’ve seen week-long emersions from these groups and others with topics ranging from Social Innovation (community development) to Nature’s Chemistry (materials science). 

If flying-to-far-away-places for a week or two sounds perfect, start by looking at several options and comparing them for best fit with your location, finances, timelines, and interests. 

What calls to you? 

~~~~~

Exploring the question "How does nature blog?"

Get Experience

Once you have a baseline of knowledge, building your portfolio and resume should become the focus. Biomimicry is inherently interdisciplinary, to do it well, you need a Team.  How can your skills and perspectives complement what others are working on?

Check your network and see what problems people are addressing. Look for nearby design competitions, hackathons, collaborative research, community initiatives, and non-profit partnerships. If you find a project that resonates, offer to help by bringing a nature-inspired approach into the mix.

There’s so many problems that need solving right now.  Pick one and dive in. 

~~~~~

Caveats

University courses do make sense for a lot of people.  Here’s a couple caveats to the above suggestions:

1. Specific knowledge and formal accreditations might be essential for some career paths, for instance academia, government, or corporate environments.  

2. If you are not a self-motivated learner or if online courses haven’t worked for you in the past — this might not be the approach for you.

If university is your path there are several solid programs established and emerging around the world. In this case, you can use these suggestions as a way to get started while you wait for applications to go through.

~~~~~

Final Thoughts

If you’re just entering the field, know that the resources, education, and mentors are out there, and so is your community of collaborators.  It just takes a bit to find them. 

Here’s a list of biomimicry resources to get you started.

~~~~~

Any tips?  Any questions?  Did I get something wrong? 

I’ll be continuing this conversation on LinkedIn, share your thoughts there so that we may all learn together.

~~~~~