2019 Midwest Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics Conference (MTSM)

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

This grant is to provide partial support for the 2019 Midwest Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics (MTSM) Conference to be held on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on June 2-4, 2019. The MTSM Conference has historically provided a forum for researchers working on theoretical and experimental aspects of Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics to come together, present their work and exchange ideas. Most participants will be from chemical engineering and chemistry departments, although students and faculty from physics, materials science, mechanical engineering, and computer science departments have also participated in this conference in the past. A distinctive feature of The MTSM Conference is its focus on researchers in the early stages of their academic careers, such as undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, and junior faculty. Because the meetings are regional and organization costs are kept to a minimum, faculty members are often able to travel with their entire group to the meeting. Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics are an important area of research that has a wide spectrum of applications in chemical, biological and natural systems. The MTSM Conference series was started in 1988 and attracts participants from academic institutions, industry and national laboratories. Most attendees are from institutions located in the Midwest region of the US, which has a large concentration of researchers working in the field of Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics. The MTSM Conference is distinguished by a focus on students, postdoctoral researchers, and junior faculty, providing an opportunity to discuss results in an informal yet focused setting. Experimental, theoretical, and computational work is all well represented, with applications ranging from energy conversion and storage, environmental protection, materials design and synthesis of polymers and nanostructures, and investigation of biomolecules for drug delivery. The conference participants supported by this grant will be about 120 undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral associates including members of underrepresented minorities in STEM fields. The participants will have the opportunity to network with peers from other institutions and exchange ideas about the current status and future directions in research and education in the field of Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics. 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.