The Gordon Research Conference will be held 24-29 June 2007 and will be preceded by the Gordon-Kenan Graduate Research Seminar 22-24 June 2007 at the Tilton School in New Hampshire.
Intellectual Merit This Gordon Research Conference and Seminar will address both chemistry and physics of Polymer Colloids in a balanced way. Latex particles are no longer applied in bulk applications only (coatings, adhesives) but also, for example, in specialty applications like drug delivery, carriers for catalyst molecules, bioassays, intraocular eye lenses and printable electronics. The combination of new emerging polymerization mechanisms like controlled radical polymerization and metal catalyzed polymerizations opens up new possibilities to prepare unprecedented polymer structures (e.g. block- and star shaped polymers) and polymer classes (polyolefins) directly in emulsion polymerization. This seminar and conference will provide a unique forum for communication within the field that will stimulate and enrich all of the participants in the study of polymer colloids. Organizers of the proposed conference have proven track record in polymer colloids. Both chairmen of the conference have more than 20 years in research and education of colloid and polymer science.
Broader Impact Bringing together academic researchers and industry to share ideas and come to solutions is one of the objectives of this GRC. In the previous GRC colloid meetings only a limited number of young graduates were present. In order to increase these numbers and offer young scientists an opportunity to meet the leading experts in the field, the Graduate Research Seminar will provide background. We are aiming at 30-40 participants; master students, PhD students and post-docs up to an age of 30 years. Although the number of papers and scientists in the field is increasing, the attendees of the GRC in Polymer Colloids seem to increase in average age too. We would be able to give these young scientists a once in a lifetime opportunity to be at such a prestigious scientific meeting at such a young age and we feel this would be stimulating impulse to the Polymer Colloids community as well.
The organizers aim to achieve a broader representation of women, racial/ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities, and other individuals who have been traditionally under-represented in science. With the Gordon-Kenan Graduate Research Seminar preceding the Gordon Research Conference, junior investigators are expected to constitute approximately one third of the attendees.
