This two-year award will support a US-Spain research and education collaboration involving the University of California, Irvine, the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain, and other local research organizations in the Catalan region. The focus of the collaboration will be on MEMS and on integrated nanosystems using a strong cross-disciplinary approach, involving mechanical, electrical, and biomedical engineers; physicists, chemical physicists, and electro-chemists.
The focus of the collaborative research will be a series of grand challenges in selected areas of miniaturization science and engineering. The research is designed to enhance understanding of fundamental and practical ideas such as medical microdevices for nerve electro-stimulation, miniaturized DNA diagnostic devices, new types of microsensors and microactuators, innovative drug delivery systems, and the introduction of new materials and manufacturing techniques.
The broader impacts of the proposal include a strong educational component that will allow US students, including minorities, to spend time at the Spanish institutions to develop a global research perspective through participation in the joint research activities. Other impacts of the research include applications in biomedical engineering, environmental engineering, and chemical science.
