The Research Improvement in Minority Institutions (RIMI) program was established to provide support to strengthen the research environments and capabilities of predominantly minority institutions or institutions that have substantial minority student enrollments. Eligible institutions must also have graduate programs in science or programs in engineering. Funding is provided for faculty research in fields of science and engineering supported by the Foundation and for the acquisition of research instrumentation. City College will utilize RIMI support to purchase equipment that will expose their students to state-of-the-art laser, minicomputer, and spectroscopic techniques. Researchers at City College will use cyanine dyes as spectral sensitizers to inject mobile electrons into seminconductor substrates. The resultant mobile electrons can lead to reactions at the surface of semiconductors that have wide scientific and commerical implications. This project on photodynamics will meet the research needs of a first rate urban institution that educates minorities at the leading edge of the physical sciences. The principal investigator, who is a minority, is an expert in Raman surface scattering and has experience in the academic and industrial sectors. The Foundation has supported this project because minority faculty and students will have their research capabilities enhanced by their participation in meritorious experimental and theoretical activities.
