Our research surrounds fundamental material development to provide access to ‘adaptive’ materials that can switch between different states in response to various external stimuli. Stimulation of these materials using light, temperature, electrochemical potential, or changes in the local chemical environment can result in highly precise 4D responses, all the way from the nano to the macro scale. The incorporation of responsive units at the molecular level, combined with precise and sophisticated design, enables controllable movement and function akin with that found in nature.