Pierre Deymier

Pierre Deymier is a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Arizona, where he also serves as Director of the NSF-funded New Frontiers of Sound Science and Technology Center (NewFoS). He holds affiliations with the BIO5 Institute, the Biomedical Engineering Program, and the Applied Mathematics Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, reflecting his interdisciplinary impact.

His educational background includes a PhD in Ceramics with a minor in Mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1985) and an Engineering degree in Materials Science from Université des Sciences et Techniques du Languedoc, France (1982).

Deymier's research focuses on the theoretical and computational aspects of materials, particularly in acoustic metamaterials, phononic crystals, topological acoustics, and biomaterials. His work bridges physics, engineering, and applied mathematics to explore how sound can be manipulated for next-generation technologies. He investigates how topological principles can protect acoustic waves from scattering, enabling robust signal transmission for computing, sensing, and telecommunications.

The available publications indicate a clear trend toward foundational and transformative work in the emerging science of sound. His books lay the theoretical groundwork for topological acoustics and multiscale computational materials engineering, emphasizing coherence, duality, and integration across disciplines. These works suggest a long-term vision of unifying physical principles across scales and systems.

• Editor, Phononic Crystals and Acoustic Metamaterials (2013)
• Co-Editor, Multiscale Paradigms in Integrated Computational Materials Science and Engineering (2015)
• Author, Sound Topology, Duality, Coherence and Wave-Mixing (2017)

Deymier has led major research initiatives, including a $30 million NSF Science and Technology Center grant to establish NewFoS, which supports interdisciplinary collaboration across institutions such as Caltech, UCLA, Georgia Tech, and CUNY. His leadership extends to education and workforce development, with goals to train future scientists in topological acoustics and create accessible educational resources. The center emphasizes broadening participation, mentoring ecosystems, and knowledge transfer to industry and policymakers.

He previously served as Head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (2011–2021) and Director of the School of Sustainable Engineered Systems (2009–2017), demonstrating sustained institutional leadership. The NewFoS center operates shared multiscale acoustic testing facilities, adheres to FAIR data principles, and actively manages intellectual property to accelerate innovation.