Travel Support for Younger Scientists to Attend International Symposium on Ionic Polymerization IP'11, July 10-15, 2011, Akron, OH.

University Of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg MS

Investigators

Abstract

The International Symposium on Ionic Polymerization is a major world gathering on this important topic within the field of polymer chemistry. The next meeting (IP??11) will be in Akron, OH, on July 10-15, 2011. The co-organizers are Professor Judit Puskas (U. of Akron) and Professor Robson Storey (The U. of Southern Mississippi). TECHNICAL ABSTRACT: Ionic polymerizations find critical applications in the fields of synthetic rubber, lubricating oil and fuel additives, resins, tackifiers, and adhesives, engineering plastics, architectural sealants, and more recently, bio-medical polymers. The kinetic and mechanistic understanding of living polymerizations, which has led to an ongoing revolution in polymer synthetic control, was pioneered first in the area of ionic polymerizations. Ionic polymerizations are complex processes due to multiple states of association between the growing ion and its counterion and the strong effect of reaction conditions on the partitioning of the chains among these states. The field of ionic polymerization remains a challenging and fertile area of scientific endeavor. The symposium will explore latest developments across the broad horizon of all types of ionic polymerizations and their resulting materials. NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT: The International Symposium on Ionic Polymerization provides a critical forum for the exchange of ideas and expertise within this field and helps foster entirely new research directions. Especially critical to this process is the involvement of younger scientists. Therefore, IP??11 will include a special session entitled ?gRising Stars,?h consisting of younger speakers and discussion leaders. This will enhance the positive, broader impact of the symposium on the scientific community as a whole, by promoting the professional and scientific development of our future leaders in this important technical area. Travel awards will be made to a number of these younger scientists using the requested funds.