This proposal is for partial support of student participation in the plasma science and technology fields in the 2011 American Vacuum Society International Symposium in Nashville, TN. AVS focuses on scientific and technological aspects of surface science, materials science, vacuum science with the physics and chemistry of low temperature plasmas, electric discharges and plasma chemistry, and their technological applications. Fundamental topics addressed include plasma diagnostics, ion and electron distribution functions, as well as kinetic, particle-in-cell (PIC) and fluid plasma modeling. Applications include plasma processing of materials, plasma interaction with surfaces, lasers, lighting, plasma medicine, plasma aided combustion among others.
The AVS has a strong tradition of encouraging and promoting student participation. The AVS has an enviable reputation of being the first conference that many of the leading members of the community presented their research results as graduate students. Student participation in AVS is particularly important to the professional development of young scientists and engineers.
Intellectual Merit: AVS is the leading international conference in the science and technology of applied low temperature plasmas (LTPs). The conference has been the venue of the first presentations on world leading developments in investigations of LTPs, from lighting and lasers, to plasma materials processing and plasma-medicine. The invited speakers represent the world?s leading industrial and academic scientists in LTPs. This year's conference is expected to continue the tradition of presenting on the state of the art in plasma physics and engineering.
Broader Impact: This symposium broadens the perspectives of graduate students. The broader impacts include the opportunity for young U.S. scientists to attend one of the most important international conferences in their field. They will have the opportunity to observe firsthand the scientific and cultural diversity of the field, and establish what will hopefully be career long collaborations with their international counterparts. The organizers will make a special effort to support women and underrepresented minority graduate students.
Plasma Science is a field that impacts large fractions of the US economy. This ranges from the production of computer chips to advanced lighting. Plasmas are used in ~30% of all of the steps in making computer chips. In fact, without plasma science and plasma technology, improvements in chip quality would have stopped in about 1975. Plasmas are also used directly in lighting (compact fluorescence lights and high intensity street lights) and well as in the production of LED lighting. The basic technology is also finding use in medical applications, automobile production and numerous other industries. As such, plasma science is critical to the future of the US' high technology industry. The American Vacuum Society (AVS) is one of the premier research societies covering this important topic. This project allowed the society to boost participation of graduate students from US universities at the annual AVS international symposium. In total, this project impacted 18 students. These students came from nine universities in seven states, Texas, Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, California and Wisconsin. Additional funding from corporate sponsors allowed an support from 3 international universities - two in France in one in Japan. Further, it allowed the society to develop corporate driven funding sources to continue this effort.
