The award from the Chemistry of Life Processes; Chemical Catalysis; Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanochemistry; and Chemical Structure, Dynamics, and Mechanisms programs in the Division of Chemistry and the Systems and Synthetic Biology cluster in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences and the Biomaterials Program in the Division of Materials Research supports the inaugural "Systems Chemistry" Gordon Research Conference on 29 July-3 August, 2018 organized by Professor David G. Lynn of Emory University and Professor Yi Tang of the University of California at Los Angeles. The conference, which is international in scope, brings together the most knowledgeable investigators in the field of systems chemistry for in depth discussions of state-of-the-art research and an examination of potential priorities for the future. The conference is extremely timely, having the capacity to bring definition and direction to a rapidly expanding subject in chemistry. Systems chemistry is a highly multidisciplinary undertaking that impinges on virtually all aspects of chemistry.
This first Systems Chemistry from Concepts to Conceptions GRC has two primary foci. The first builds on and extends themes that emerged from the NSF-supported workshop on Alternative Chemistries of Life. Specifically, the emergence of function in self-organized multi-component systems, self-replicating systems, design and analysis of functional chemical systems operating far from equilibrium, and chemical evolution of complex systems. The theory/experiment continuum permeate all sessions and connect the chemistry of life on earth implicitly and explicitly with the emerging opportunities for analyzing the chemistry of supramolecular molecular assemblies. Further, the conference connects the divergent foci that have emerged somewhat independently across the US, UK, and EU by constructing and analyzing the diverse, non-equilibrium molecular networks by researchers in universities, government laboratories, and private research institutes to inform the research community on the limits of dynamic chemical systems. Second, the formal presentations, response questions, discussions at poster sessions, and the casual interactions constitute an opportunity for ideas on new topics and future directions to emerge. Young scholars selected from submitted abstracts and scholars form minority serving institutions are engaged in a with established scientists to achieve greater inclusive excellence. Timely new results from student talks extend the discussions and open possibilities for mentoring. New ideas span and unify the current diversity of involved disciplines. Representative topics at the conference include: dynamic behaviors of chemical networks, non-equilibrium chemical networks, supramolecular chemistry, and alternative chemistries of life.
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.
