Center for interdisciplinary Biological Inspiration in Education and Research – CiBER. UC Berkeley has made a strong commitment to facilitate interdisciplinary research and training focused on biological, bio-inspired and human-engineered motion systems. Our newly opened, university-sponsored, center, CiBER, encompasses 32 faculty from seven departments (Integrative Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Bioengineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Psychology) and the Berkeley Natural History Museums who will provide the foundation for our IGERT. Through a combined effort of the Deans of Biological Sciences and of Engineering and by the Vice Chancellor of Education, CiBER was created and granted space, support for a technical director, funding for equipment purchase, departmental commitment to support a new interdisciplinary teaching/research laboratory and seven years of support for fund-raising efforts.

UC Berkeley has committed space for CiBER’s Common Lab to be used by IGERT Trainees including reception and presentation areas, a technical director and administrator’s office, an office for two visiting biologists or engineers from academia and/or industry, an animal preparation room and five separate rooms for materials testing, energetics, kinematics/dynamics, a water flume and four smaller rooms for 3D data analysis and dynamic modeling. An adjacent building holds two wind tunnels for aerodynamics research. CiBER has been allocated funding for a technical director to assist in research projects and aid in the IGERT researched-based, teaching laboratory. The initial CiBER budget allowed the purchase of major pieces of equipment for the study of motion systems (see Facilities).