Fifth International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels and Minichannels

Rochester Institute Of Tech, Rochester NY

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT National Science Foundation Proposal Number: CBET-0711257 Principal Investigator: Kandlikar, Satish Affiliation: Rochester Institute of Technology Proposal Title: Fifth International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels and Minichannels This grant provides partial support for participants in the Fifth International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels and Minichannels, which will be held in Puebla, Mexico, on June 18 - 20, 2007. The purpose of the conference is to bring together a variety of junior and senior researchers, from the US and from abroad, to treat the interdisciplinary topics surrounding fluid and heat transport in small-scale channels. With respect to the intellectual merit of the conference, discussion among researchers from diverse backgrounds will likely result in improved fundamental understanding of transport processes occurring in systems that contain small channels, ranging from the nanoscale to the mesoscale. Particular topics of interest include the effects of nanoparticles, surface tension effects, electrokinetic flows, two-phase flow at the microscale, microsensors, nuclear applications, digital microfluidics, etc. Six international journals have agreed to publish special volumes from this conference, provided there are a sufficient number of accepted papers. The broader impacts of the conference include improved understanding and design of numerous devices that rely on transport through small channels, such as lab-on-a-chip systems, micromixers and micro-reactors for the pharmaceutical industry, fuel cells, micro turbines, etc. Students will be especially encouraged to attend the conference, and a special student forum will be organized by students to discuss their viewpoints on emerging issues in this field. Note that approximately 50 students attended the previous such conference in 2006, which was also supported by NSF. Among the keynote speakers, at present there are two women and five junior faculty participants. Additional considerations will be given to recruiting underrepresented minorities and/or persons with disabilities, with the goal being to recruit 20% of the total participants from this population.