The International Journal of Applied Mechanics selected a paper by CEE graduate students Zhao Qin and Steve Cranford, former visiting graduate student Dr. Theodor Ackbarow, and Professor Markus Buehler as a best paper published in the journal during 2009 and 2010. “Robustness-Strength Performance of Hierarchical Alpha-Helical Protein Filaments” was the cover story for the inaugural issue of the journal in March 2009. The paper shows that by using the hierarchical nanostructures as found in biology’s construction materials, engineers can create synthetic materials with unusual properties, such as a combination of exceptional strength and robustness.