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headquartered at Northwestern University (NU-NSEC), has been a driving force since 2001 in advancing knowledge and discovery within the field of nanotechnology. The Center brought 29 faculty members from 18 departments together in focused and collaborative research, leading to the development of powerful new biological and chemical detection systems and nanolithographic patterning tools that are revolutionizing many diverse fields. This research was the foundation for innovative educational outreach programs that have informed, engaged, and inspired people of all ages and broadened the participation of underrepresented minorities. The materials and tools developed by the NU-NSEC are revolutionizing the scientific community and the community at large. The large scale patterning techniques invented and developed by the Center have turned a bench top Atomic Force Microscope into a "desktop fabrication system," allowing scientists and researchers to rapidly generate arrays of nanostructures for a variety of applications. Since expensive clean room facilities are no longer needed to create such arrays, these techniques enable experiments in chemistry, biology, and materials science that were impossible only a few years ago. Center researchers also developed rapid, high-throughput, point-of-care detection systems capable of detecting chemical compounds and biomolecules with ever increasing sensitivity and selectivity. Using these systems, disease can be detected earlier and with a greater level of accuracy, leading to more positive outcomes for the patient. Chemical and biological threats can also be detected earlier and neutralized with minimal detriment to human life. A unique component of the Center was the development of a pipeline to rapidly translate laboratory advances to market. There are now 8 FDA-cleared panel assays based upon Center research. Since inception, 20 start-up companies were launched based on Center technologies that have raised over $650 million in venture capital funds and created hundreds of new jobs. Center researchers developed strong and enduring collaborative relationships with partners in industry, national laboratories, and academia. Collaborations were stimulated by highly successful platforms, like the annual International Institute for Nanotechnology Symposium (>700 attendees in 2011) and the Frontiers in Nanotechnology Seminars Series (118 sponsored). Collaborations were also nurtured through the Center’s Nanotechnology Corporate Partners (NCP) program, which allowed companies of all sizes to participate with the Center in ways that uniquely fit their needs. Center researchers were prolific in knowledge transfer. Seven hundred eighty-four publications and 24 patents resulted from Center research. Researchers gave over 1,755 talks around the world and helped to launch two new journals. Working with Wiley Publishing, Small, an international professional journal on nanoscale research, launched in 2005 and has garnered worldwide acclaim. In 2004, recognizing that an academic void existed in the representation of undergraduate-level research, the Center launched Nanoscape: the Journal of Undergraduate Research in Nanoscience, the first journal of its kind in the country. The NU-NSEC resulted in the development of new and substantial enhancements of existing in-house user facilities not through the use of federal funds, but by leveraging NSF support with generous funding from the State of Illinois ($2 million years 1–5, $5 million year 6, and an additional $5 million years 9-11). The Center provided significant contributions to nanotechnology scholarship and interdisciplinary education. For example, 115 graduate students and 80 postdoctoral associates were actively engaged in Center research. In addition, 225 undergraduates from around the country were part of the Research Experience for Undergraduates program, and 88 teachers gained professional enrichment through the Center’s Research Experience for Teachers program. Twenty-four new courses were developed and 35 existing courses were modified based on Center research. Finally, the Center developed an inquiry-based nanoscience and nanotechnology module for the pre-college classroom. This module is now part of the Materials World Modules program, and it is marketed worldwide. The Center also launched projects and programs to engage and educate the general pubic. The Center’s partnership with the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago led to the development of a permanent nanotechnology exhibit, which will be realized in 2013 and reach over 2,000,000 visitors annually. The Center’s interactive DiscoverNano website receives over 1 million visitors a year and sections of the site have been recreated in textbooks and incorporated into museum exhibits. Finally, the Center developed a successful plan to increase the participation of those typically underrepresented in the sciences and engineering. Throughout the life of the Center, it consistently exceeded national engineering-wide averages of women and underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities. The topics investigated by NU-NSEC are among the most pressing in society today, and through the strategically developed research thrusts, important fundamental questions were asked and answered and meaningful solutions to a variety of complex problems were found spanning the electronics industry, the life sciences, and medicine. Importantly, the significant achievements realized by this Center will stand for decades beyond the formal award period.
