Prof. Vikram DESHPANDE of the University of Cambridge delivered a PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “New measurement strategies for data-driven mechanics” on 26 February 2026 at the PolyU campus. The event attracted nearly 100 in-person participants and reached an impressive online audience of more than 15,700 across various social media platforms.
In his presentation, Prof. Deshpande explored three advanced mechanical measurement techniques emerging from lab-based X-ray technology. Firstly, dynamic tomography enables high-resolution 3D visualisation of high-speed material deformations. Secondly, digital volume correlation (DVC) offers a pioneering method for tracking internal strain within nominally homogeneous materials. Finally, synchrotron technologies utilise energy diffraction to measure local stresses in complex, statically indeterminate specimens, and recent innovations are enabling these once large-scale methods to be realised within standard laboratory environments.
Prof. Deshpande also emphasised that by shifting the experimental paradigm, these methods provide the high-fidelity datasets essential for training sophisticated models. He stressed that the ultimate goal is to enable engineers to simulate the performance of complex materials with unprecedented accuracy, effectively eliminating the costly and time-consuming “trial-and-error” design loops that currently hinder industrial innovation. Such advancements mark a pivotal step in turning the promise of data-driven engineering into a practical reality.
In conclusion, Prof. Deshpande noted that the democratisation of synchrotron-level capabilities is opening new avenues for understanding material behaviour and uncovering new physics in both modern and classic materials.
The presentation was followed by a lively question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. SU Zhongqing, Member of Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports) and Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE), and Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering and Chair Professor of Intelligent Structures and Systems. Both the in-person and online audience engaged in a thoughtful exchange with Prof. Deshpande.
Please click here for an online review.
| Topics | PAIR Distinguished Lecture Series |
|---|---|
| Research Units | PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research |
Prof. Vikram DESHPANDE
Professor of Materials Engineering, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge
Fellow of The Royal Society, UK
Fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering, UK
Foreign Member of US National Academy of Engineering
Editor-in-Chief of Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids
Vikram Deshpande is a professor of Materials Engineering at the University of Cambridge. He has also served on the faculties at the University of California, Santa Barbara and at the Technical University of Eindhoven. With his students and collaborators, he has worked primarily in experimental and theoretical solid mechanics and currently serves as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids (JMPS). His recognitions include the 2020 Rodney Hill Prize in Solid Mechanics, the 2022 Prager Medal, the 2022 ASME Koiter medal, the 2024 Bazant medal ASCE, the 2025 European Solid Mechanics prize and ASME Nadai medal. He has been elected Fellow of the Royal Society, London, the UK Royal Academy of Engineering, and an International Member of the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE).
Personal website: https://www.eng.cam.ac.uk/profiles/vsd20
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