Conference, research review features new polymeric materials for energy, medicine
The Macromolecules and Interfaces Institute at Virginia Tech is holding its 2007 Technical Conference and Review, "Frontiers in Macromolecular Science and Engineering," on Monday, Oct. 22, through Wednesday, Oct. 24, at the Inn at Virginia Tech.
The agenda includes five half-day sessions with 29 lectures from Virginia Tech faculty members and two student poster sessions where more than 100 students will present their recent research results.
Three important themes will be addressed at the conference, each highlighted by a plenary lecture from a distinguished visitor.
Russ Gaudiana of Konarka Technologies of Lowell, Mass., a leader in flexible photovoltaic devices will lead a session on polymeric materials that enable a secure energy future. His lecture is entitled, “Prospects for Solar Energy—Organic Photovoltaics.” The session will feature lectures on fuel cell and water purification membranes and processes.
The intersection of life sciences, engineering, and polymeric materials is the crucible for such medical developments as therapeutic delivery systems and regenerative tissue materials. Matthew Tirrell, dean of the College of Engineering at the University of California Santa Barbara and a noted polymer scientist and engineer, will be the plenary lecture for this session. His lecture will focus on the challenges to develop practical processes for important materials formed by self-assembly, which are the key biological processes for obtaining critically needed materials.
Macromolecules and Interfaces Institute faculty are extremely active in biomaterials and self-assembly research and the session will feature presentations on tissue engineering and on the promise of magnetic nanomaterials.
Conservation of energy and polymeric materials that enable a sustainable future will be the focus of a third session that deals with current issues of strategic importance to our society. Donald Schulz, senior scientific advisor for ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, will present a plenary lecture entitled, “Polyolefins—Their Role in Sustainable Development.”
The Macromolecules and Interfaces Institute at Virginia Tech, an interdisciplinary institute of more than 50 faculty members representing 14 departments from five colleges, has the goal of promoting world-class research in macromolecular science and engineering. Information about the conference can be found online.
For information, contact Tammy Jo Hiner at 540-2231-6824.
