Group Travel Support for US Participation in the 8th International Workshop on Piezoresponse Force Microscopy and Nanoscale Electromechanics of Polar Materials

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

This grant provides funding to support a group of US scientists, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students to attend the 8th International Workshop on Piezoresponse Force Microscopy and Nanoscale Electromechanics of Polar Materials, to be held at University of Science and Technology Beijing, China, on August 25-27, 2010. Coupling between electrical and mechanical phenomena is ubiquitous in nature and underpins the functionality of materials and systems as diversified as ferroelectrics and multiferroics, electroactive molecules, and biological systems. The development of piezoresponse force microscopy in the last decade has led to rapid advances in the investigation of electromechanics with unprecedented resolution, and this workshop aims to provide in-depth discussions on piezoresponse force microscopy, nanoscale electromechanics, and their applications in functional materials and biological systems. The grant will support five leading scientists and 10 postdoctoral scholars and graduate students from US to participate the workshop, and the support for postdoctoral scholars and graduate students will be awarded based on their research abstract, short CV, and recommendation letter. The travel support will enable US scientists, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students to participate the workshop in an international setting. They will share and learn the state of art and challenges in piezoresponse force microscopy and nanoscale electromechanics through invited lectures, poster sessions, and laboratory demonstrations. They will also have ample opportunities to interact with scientists and students from other countries, which will facilitate future international collaborations. Such experience will be invaluable for developing the skills of a group of highly talented postdoctoral scholars and graduate students who will be the next generation of industry professionals and academics.