The University of Southern California is the recipient of ARI funds for the renovation of Vivian Hall to create the Center for Nanoscale Structure, Processes and Materials. Constructed in 1965, the building formerly housed the Civil Engineering Laboratory, and an Anechoic Chamber used by Aerospace Engineering. With the consolidation of Civil Engineering in another building, the North Pod of Vivian is now available to form the Center. Four laboratories supporting six professors, 25 graduate students, and eight post docs, whose synergistic and multidisciplinary research and training is connected through a common theme of nanoparticles, nanostructures, and nanophase materials, will be relocated. The four laboratories to be relocated on the ground floor of Vivian Hall are: the Laboratory for Molecular Robotics, Laboratory for Engineered Nanostructures, Compound Semiconductor Laboratory for Nanostructure Photonic Devices, and Laboratory for Nanoscale Composites. Current research programs are housed in several buildings on campus lacking supporting infrastructure necessary for conducting research. Space in Vivian Hall is ideally suited for this type of research because it provides a close to vibration-free environment. Possessing a high-bay area will permit the accommodation of instruments that are over eight feet tall. Establishing this facility will allow the School of Engineering to move towards more innovative research and education in new multi-and interdisciplinary focus fields.
