Professor Yuri Estrin is one of the world leaders in Materials Science who has advanced physically based materials modelling in an outstanding way. The models associated with his name have become classic and are broadly used for calculating mechanical behaviour of materials. Yuri Estrin's seminal work in model-driven development of structural nanomaterials and geometry-inspired design of novel materials has also brought him international acclaim. For his contribution to science, Yuri Estrin has received numerous international awards, including an Alexander von Humboldt Award (Germany), an honorary doctorate from the Russian Academy of Sciences and a World-Class University professorship from Korea.