Gordon Research Conference: Membranes: Materials and Processes 2018

Gordon Research Conferences, East Greenwich RI

Investigators

Abstract

Critical societal needs in the areas of energy, water, bioprocessing, and the environment are providing exciting new opportunities for membrane technologies. These include the development of new membranes for fuel cells, water purification, the production of biofuels, and the isolation of a target molecule from a complex chemical mixture. Over the past 20 years, there has been a growing understanding of how molecular scale phenomena at the membrane interface translate to systems-level engineering design and optimization. This project will support young research investigators to travel to the 2018 Gordon Research Conference and associated Gordon Research Seminar: Membranes Materials and Processes held at Colby Sawyer College in New London, NH from August 11-12 and 12-17, 2018. The theme of this conference is focused on all aspects of membrane science, with specific sessions on molecules, membranes and membrane systems and their application to contemporary topics dealing with energy production and storage, membrane technologies for energy efficiency, nanomanufacturing, and membranes for water purification. A number of speakers have been invited from a variety of disciplines including: Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Nanoscience, and Material Science. The discussions between the speakers and audience will provide valuable feedback on current research efforts and will enable the participants to further develop and refine new ideas for their own research and/or to initiate new membrane projects. This 5-day technical conference provides a unique forum for discussion of cutting edge research in membrane science and technology. A student seminar precedes the conference, providing mentoring and networking opportunities for young researchers. This grant will provide registration support for US-based undergraduate students, graduate students, and young postdoctoral research associates to attend the conference. It is anticipated that the registration of 50 students will be partially supported. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.