From Biologist to Biomimic: A Natural Journey
Interview with biologist-turned-biomimicry practitioner, Rebecca MacKinnon
How to go from biology to biomimicry
Have you ever thought about the “bio” in biomimicry? Most of us know that it means “life” (it comes from Greek). Here’s another fun fact: It’s the same “bio” that is used in “biology”.
Biomimicry and biology are deeply interconnected, because both disciplines study life, its organisms and processes and the basics are usually taught as early as school stage or through biology courses at universities.
Biology is the study of living organisms, and biomimicry is the practice of learning from and emulating these living organisms to solve challenges within the human design world - clearly, there is biology in biomimicry.
Because biomimicry draws inspiration from biological phenomena to solve human challenges, having knowledge of biology (in whichever field of this broad term it may be) is incredibly useful for practicing biomimicry - although not essential, of course!
Curious about how others are applying their biology knowledge in the real world through biomimicry? Read more here: How to apply biology through biomimicry
Life’s Journey: Learning “About” Nature to Learning “From” Nature
Here's an example of how we might shift our perspectives to learning "about" something, to rather discovering what we can learn "from" it.
Join us as we pick the brain of one of our own biomimicry mentors, Rebecca MacKinnon, on her journey from marine biology to biomimicry. Rebecca is such a proficient researcher that she even discovered a new species of parasite that lives in a certain species of brittle stars in South Africa’s waters, which has recently been named after her (it’s called the Introphiuricola rebeccae). A classic example of how fate loves irony that it had to be a parasite, as Reb is one of the most mutualistic and collaborative people I've come to meet! If that’s not inspiring, I don’t know what is.
Here’s what else you didn't know about Rebecca.
What was your first field of study, and why did you choose it?
As a classic overachiever in high school, I sprang straight for Medicine, thinking it was the best use of my brain. When I was humbled (and perhaps relieved) by the rejection of my application, I allowed myself to imagine a different pathway…
I decided to pursue a degree in Marine Biology and Oceanography at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. I loved science and wanted to keep absorbing as much as I could; and so I dove headfirst into the ocean.
What were you most passionate about in that field, and why?
My passion for marine life was sparked by a family camping trip to the south of Mozambique. Our campsite was out in the wilderness - with very little access to anything at all. And so we spent each and every day in the water, and I fell in love with the submersive experience of floating in the ocean - a whole different world.
During my studies I came to better understand the dynamics of our blue planet: the currents, the tides, the shifts and twists that make up the world as we know it. I got to know the different creatures that adapted to life at different depths and was always in awe of how much more there was to learn. Always space to go deeper and deeper.
How or when did you learn about biomimicry?
I owe my introduction to biomimicry to one of my oceanography classmates. Boldly, he stood up after a lecture one day and explained what biomimicry was and what it offered the world. And that’s all it took. I was hooked!
I then continued finding ways to learn more about biomimicry. I took the idea to professors and supervisors, and by the end of my degree I was enrolled in biomimicry courses; and hunting for immersions across the world. I went on to do a Masters degree in Bio-Inspired Innovation that cemented my career in this impactful field.
Do you want to learn more, in a short time? Watch these biomimicry videos, all shorter than 10 minutes.
How have you been able to apply your theoretical knowledge and field experience in marine biology, to biomimicry?
What I loved about studying biology is that it gave me multiple ways of making sense of the world that we live in.
From the get-go, the theory that I learned filled me with such deep appreciation and curiosity for all life. Diving into the principles, patterns and adaptations that enabled the life forms we know today felt like tapping into a little bit of magic. There’s so much to understand!
When I discovered biomimicry, I was so excited to be able to apply all the theory I’d learnt to real-world applications. It took some time, and definitely some practice to start getting that biomimicry thinking going - but then little-by-little I started seeing the parallels between the biological world and the dynamics of our human-design world. And then you can’t un-see it.
For me, it started with a whole bunch of “What ifs?" and "why nots?”. What if we could achieve the same strength in material as the byssal threads of the intertidal musseI? What if we could create filtration systems with the efficiency and simplicity of the sponges on the seafloor? What if our cities could function like coral reefs - bustling with life, intertwined through symbioses and actually benefiting the larger system? And if not, why not?
It truly is the switch from learning about to learning from. You start to ask, “What can we learn from this?” And then aaaalll the theory becomes this library of wonder - that you get to draw upon whenever you see something that doesn’t quite feel right in the world.
Tell us more about the parasite species that you discovered.
Ha! What a story.
Well, the year was 2015... Bright-eyed, bushy-tailed Rebecca was doing her thesis project on the reproduction of a native brittle star.
The aim of my study was to investigate and quantify the brooding patterns of Amphiura capensis, a tiny brooding brittle star. Each month, I would collect and dissect about 20 brittle stars from the intertidal zones off the Atlantic Seaboard. I would count how many juveniles were inside each specimen I collected. And then I started to notice something… Inside the brooding sacs of these brittle stars, where their offspring were supposed to be, was a little critter that didn’t quite belong.
I bottled it up and took it straight to my supervisor. Given the scope of my thesis, we didn’t have the time to dive any deeper, so we sent it off to Japan - where the experts could try to decipher what we’d found. I finished up my thesis and graduated, without giving any of it too much thought.
A closer look at "Introphiuricola rebeccae" inside a brittle star
Well, after about ten years of silence, Japan finally got back to us. In October 2024, they let us know that we had in fact stumbled upon a new species, and that they were going to name it after the biologist who discovered it… And so Introphiuricola rebeccae came to be!
How can biology be useful to those who want to practice biomimicry?
There is so much weird, wild, and wonderful life in the natural world. Truly so much more than what meets the eye. The adaptations that have enabled life on earth are so fascinating, and are so tied to context that they provide a great learning space for diving into functional biology.
In biology, we investigate what an organism is doing - the where, how and why of it all. In the research space, the focus is largely on the what and why - as we try to make sense of the world. In biomimicry, you get to focus on the function and the context - the how, and where.
For example, marine biology showcases just how important context is, and how function is deeply tied to it. It’s a great space to see just how much adaptation has enabled life in the wildest places. Within the realm of marine biology, the where is so interesting. From the sea surface to the deep trenches of the ocean floor, the conditions are so immensely different.
The temperature, pressure, oxygen levels, and amount of sunlight all change within a few meters. Which means that different organisms are adapting to different conditions and often all within one day.
In what other fields of biology can biomimicry be applied practically?
I think there is potential for biomimicry in all realms of biology! Scale is often so important to the accurate emulation of biological strategies, and so having biologists at all levels of life would ensure the intentional and well-adapted application of biomimicry all the way from microbiology to the more macro sciences.
It’s not only the theory and understanding at each level that makes biology relevant to biomimicry, but also the way we’re trained to think. The scientific method enables you to think critically about what you’re investigating, and that’s a crucial part of doing biomimicry well.
What are some case studies or existing examples of biomimicry in biology that inspire you?
I'm fascinated by the parallel between how we build our homes and the way organisms build in the sea. It’s such a direct contrast. At ambient temperatures and using readily available materials, sea creatures make incredibly strong structures for themselves to live in. The same kind of material on land requires intense heat, and massive amounts of toxic chemicals to create. I love the idea that our buildings could be grown in the same way that coral reefs are grown. Michael Pawlyn’s Biorock Pavilion is an inspiring example of that.
You can also learn more about his book Biomimicry in Architecture here.
I am also blown away by the social dynamics in the marine world. The phenomenon of hermit crabs lining up to exchange shells once they’ve outgrown their homes is an inspiring example of resource-sharing, attuning to context and living in community. A team in the 2020 Biomimicry Global Design Challenge emulated this behaviour and created a Temporary Housing Solution to combat homelessness amongst students in California.
And, last one, I promise. The relationship between eels and grouper fish is worth the mention. We’re sometimes led to believe that everything in nature is competition and ‘survival of the fittest’, but seeing this example was a hopeful reassurance for me. Eels and grouper fish share this special cooperative hunting behaviour that enables their collective survival. A grouper fish will swim up to an eel, do a little shake of the head and signal that it’s time to hunt. The eel will then swim through all the rock crevices the grouper could never reach, and send all the fish out into the open for the grouper to catch. From the outside of a reef, the grouper will signal to the eel where their prey is hiding by doing a headstand over the spot where it can see the fish! Wild. What if we could cooperate like that?
If you're looking for more real-world examples, read this article about 10 Biomimicry Product Examples for Nature-Inspired Examples.
In Closing
If more of the biologists in the world would dive into biomimicry with even half the passion that Rebecca has, our species could solve a whole host of challenges in ways that are life friendly, sustainable and regenerative. This is a call to biologists everywhere to learn from nature, not just about it, and discover a new level of biology in biomimicry for yourself.
Interested to take the next step?
If you're interested in learning more about how biomimicry can impact your biology career or next project for good, explore our free e-book: A Biologist's Guide to Biomimicry here, or check out our online Biomimicry Short Course set.