Excellence in Graduate Polymer Research Symposium: An Interdisciplinary and International Forum for Future Leaders in Polymeric Materials

University Of Texas At Austin, Austin TX

Investigators

Abstract

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Advances in polymeric materials continue to catalyze the nation?s future critical technologies ranging from charged polymers in biomedical devices and water purification membranes to conducting polymers for sensors and alternate energy solutions. Functional polymeric materials require fundamental understanding at length scales ranging from nanometers to centimeters. Constant attention to fundamental structure-property-performance relationships is critical for continued success and societal impact, and research strategies demand an interdisciplinary and teamed vision for both rapid and integrated solutions. It is this interdisciplinary strategy that will enable new discoveries in polymer science and engineering. This proposal will allow future leaders, who are currently graduate students from leading universities across the United States, to assemble in a unique international forum of polymer science and engineering . Oral presentations and interactive poster sessions at the intended "Excellence in Graduate Polymer Research Symposium" under the auspices of the American Chemical Society, will address key research areas including theory and molecular modeling, polymer design and synthetic strategy, polymer characterization using state-of-the-art techniques, engineering of polymer-based devices, and fundamental understanding of the interface of polymer chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering. Moreover, this forum will encourage scientific network building and raise the awareness of the necessity for interdisciplinary research to younger polymer scientists and engineers. The symposium will occur at the 2011 spring national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Anaheim, California. The proposed NSF funding will permit the attendance of leading graduate students, ensure diverse participation, and showcase the importance of interdisciplinary research for solving some of the more complex questions that face our scientific community. NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT University and commercial laboratories recognize the importance of interdisciplinary research; however, the opportunities for university students to truly experience an interdisciplinary meeting of polymer science and engineering remain limited. The encompassing symposium entitled "Excellence in Graduate Polymer Research" will provide an open forum for international scientists and engineers at the graduate level to cultivate an appreciation of interdisciplinary research and an international spirit of collaboration. The forum will serve to recognize leading graduate student researchers and provide a mechanism for research partnerships to evolve in a grass-roots fashion. The symposium will offer an educational experience where students will be able to benchmark their research strategies and presentation skills, and participants will raise their awareness of emerging topics at new boundaries of polymer science and engineering.