Prof. Ken Liechti of University of Texas at Austin is an award-winning authority on the mechanics of interfaces, describing bonding, unbonding, and crack propagation using innovative experimental techniques with applications to thin film mechanics and graphene transfer. Pipe Major Emeritus of the Silver Thistle Pipes and Drums band out of Austin, Liechti speaks in this interview of his commitment to carrying on the traditions of his Scottish heritage, of building unique devices for uncovering the hidden science of interfacial fracture, and of his experiences articulating the value of mechanics in interdisciplinary collaborations.