INTELLECTUAL MERIT: The past two decades have seen a surging interest in the exploration and exploitation of stimulus-responsive polymers, i.e. macromolecular materials which, usually reversibly, change at least one of their key properties in response to an external stimulus such as such as a change in temperature, pH, ionic strength, solvent, and irradiation with light or electric fields. The possibility to program them with desired functions clearly distinguishes stimulus-responsive polymers from other advanced materials with 'traditional' functional characteristics. Demonstrated or targeted high-level functions such as perception, judgment, movement, and recognition, have triggered the inaccurate but rather descriptive use of the term 'intelligent materials'. The combination of fundamental scientific curiosity on the one hand and the broad technological opportunities that promise to impact virtually all areas of life on the other define the increasing interest in these materials. The goal of this symposium is to bring together established experts, scientists at the beginning of their careers, and students from different disciplines, to share most up-to-date and important research focused on the design, synthesis, processing and application of stimuli-responsive polymers. Four halfday oral sessions with about 30 talks will concentrate on (1) Mechanoresponsive Materials; (2) Responsive Polymers for Bio-Applications; (3) Polymers with Unusual Sensing Capabilities; and (4) Polymers that Respond to Electromagnetic Radiation.
BROADER IMPACT: All of the funds awarded from NSF will be used to facilitate symposium attendance by faculty members that are at the beginning of their careers (and their students) and who might otherwise not be able to attend. Priority will be given to participants who would like to give oral presentations and from groups that are underrepresented in STEM disciplines.
