THE GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON PLASMA PROCESSING SCIENCE (GRC-PPS-2004): SUPPORT FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS AND POSTDOCS.

Drexel University, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

A biennial Gordon Conference on Plasma-Processing Science will be held in Plymouth, New Hampshire, on August 15-20, 2004. This award will support the participation of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows in the conference. The evaluation of this proposal took into account the two primary NSF criteria for support as well its potential contribution to development of technical capabilities among the engineering and science research-and-teaching community to deal with an important field of technology. Low-temperature plasmas provide an industrially indispensable technology with applications in integrated-circuit manufacture, materials synthesis, surface treatment, film deposition, environmental remediation, and other important applications. The purpose of the symposium is to convene experts from around the world to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the field. The proposal requests funds to support participation of graduate students and post-doctoral researchers in the conference. The timing of this particular symposium is especially advantageous for NSF and CTS as there will be a change of Program Director in the Combustion and Plasma Systems Program this year. The discussions and recommendations of the meeting can serve as a useful guide for setting priorities of the program as it moves into the next fiscal year. The intellectual merit of the activity arises from the participation of plasma experts, their discourse, and their ultimate recommendations for future research directions. The broader impact arises primarily from the involvement of graduate students in the meeting to encourage their participation in this field. Also, the conference will promote international collaboration and communication of research progress in other countries.