Dr. Blaise Bourdin: Modelling Daily Life Through Mathematics

Whether it is a tiny crack in a phone screen or the massive pressure inside an underground reservoir, figuring out why things break is one of the oldest challenges in engineering. Defect Mechanics is basically the study of these breaking points. By using advanced computer simulations, researchers can actually see how a material will fail before it ever happens. This kind of work is essential for building things like safer structures, tougher materials, and better ways to understand the ground beneath us.

​Dr. Blaise Bourdin’s work brings together math, physics, and computer science. He uses this interdisciplinary mix to take another look at "classic" engineering puzzles that have frustrated scientists for a long time. By turning physical movements into math equations, he can simulate reality on a computer. This helps us understand everything from how to model the way fluids move through the earth to how a computer can "sketch" and identify the shapes it sees in a digital image.

Dr. Blaise Bourdin

AFFILIATION

Dr. Blaise Bourdin is a Professor and the leader of a research group at the Department of Mathematics & Statistics, McMaster University. He is also the Canada Research Chair in Mathematical and Computational Aspects of Solid Mechanics (Tier 1).

ACADEMIC & TEACHING BACKGROUND

Undergraduate & Graduate studies:

Dr. Bourdin started his Bachelor of Applied Mathematics at the Université Paris-Nord (France) in 1994. 

Also at Université Paris-Nord, Dr. Bourdin later obtained his advanced studies diploma (Diplôme d'Études Approfondies) in Numerical Analysis and a PhD in applied mathematics, with a thesis on a mathematical model of material fracture. 

Post-doctoral training:

After completing his graduate studies, Dr. Bourdin held postdoctoral fellowships at the Technical University of Denmark in topology optimization, the California Institute of Technology in phase-field modelling of thin-film evolution, and New York University in optimal microstructures in the high-porosity regime.

Teaching and Research career:

After joining the Department of Mathematics at Louisiana State University as an Assistant Professor in 2002, he rose through the ranks to become an Associate Professor, then a Full Professor, and finally an A.K. Shirley Barton Professor. 

In July 2021, Dr. Bourdin moved to McMaster University’s Department of Mathematics & Statistics, where he was awarded a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Mathematical and Computational Aspects of Solid Mechanics a year later.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

The Bourdin lab focuses on the invisible forces that shape our world. Specifically, they use math models and computer simulations to predict how materials fail and how different shapes grow and change. His research involves working on classic engineering problems like how fluids move through fractures or how to design the "perfect" shape for a tool so it works as well as possible. 

This interest is all about finding the most efficient way to build a structure from the ground up rather than just making small tweaks to an existing one. By finding the best way to represent these physical changes, his research helps make sure modern technology and image processing are as safe, efficient, and accurate as possible.

AWARDS & LEADERSHIP

• Canada Research Chair (Tier 1): Awarded for his work in Mathematical and Computational Aspects of Solid Mechanics. (2022)

• ​A.K. & Shirley Barton Professorship: Awarded during his time at LSU for distinguished research and teaching. (2019 - 2021)

• ​ESI Highly Cited Researcher: Author of three "Highly Cited Papers" (top 1% of the field) across two distinct disciplines: Mathematics and Engineering.

• Research Grant Leadership: Has secured over $6 million in funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the NSERC, and various industrial partners to support multidisciplinary research.

EPISODE OVERVIEW

In this episode, Dr. Blaise Bourdin takes us back to a small town north of Paris, where his passion for mathematics first began. He reflects on his academic journey in France and the challenges he later faced while moving to Denmark and the United States. Dr. Bourdin also shares insights into his research interests and discusses the differences between mathematical research and research in other scientific disciplines. Most importantly, he encourages students to embrace challenges with courage instead of avoiding them, in both academic and everyday life.  

INTERVIEW

From YouTube channel of Office Hours: Unplugged