2015 Gordon Research Conference and Symposium on the Science of Adhesion; Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts; July 25-31, 2015

Gordon Research Conferences, East Greenwich RI

Investigators

Abstract

The 2015 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and Gordon Research Symposium (GRS) on the Science of Adhesion will bring together top scientists in the field of adhesion science, for in-depth technical discussions and collaboration. The expertise of the Adhesion Science community has contributed over the years to a number of areas, including structural adhesives such as those used in the automotive and aircraft industries, in metals, ceramics, and polymer composites. Two other areas where adhesion science has made major contributions are in pressure-sensitive adhesives (soft materials) and particle adhesion. In recent years, adhesion in soft active materials such as gels and elastomers, and in biological applications have emerged as two exciting new problems to which the adhesion science community is in a unique position to contribute. This award will support the GRC/GRS conference and seminar to bring together a diverse set of speakers and discussion leaders with a focus on soft/compliant materials, and biomaterials. NSF support will be used to increase and broaden participation among speakers, discussion leaders, and attendees from underrepresented group. The active participation and involvement of junior attendees (graduate students and post-doctoral associates) will be encouraged, particularly in the Gordon Research Seminar. The GRC/GRS on the Science of Adhesion will focus on two (related) areas of strong current and future interest: adhesion and surface properties of soft/compliant materials, and application of adhesion science to scientific problems in biomaterials ranging in scale from individual molecules to tissues. Over the last decade, soft materials and biological adhesion problems have become a regular and growing part of the Adhesion Science community. This GRC/GRS represents an opportunity to promote rejuvenation and growth of the adhesion science community by cementing further collaboration with biology & bioengineering and the science of soft materials. It will serve to incubate and catalyze research connections between analytical, experimental, computational methods of adhesion science and pressing problems in soft materials and biomaterials.