This award supports the participation of American scientists in a U.S.-Japan seminar on Controlled Synthesis and Performance of New Functional Macromolecules, to be held in Berkeley, California from December 12-15, l999. The co-organizers are Professors Jean M. J. Frechet at the University of California, Berkeley and Shiro Kobayashi at Kyoto University in Japan. The seminar will focus on precision polymer synthesis, a topic of very significant interest both in the U.S. and in Japan. This topic covers the new area of controlled synthesis of well-defined macromolecules and related materials. The seminar will have a very significant influence on the development of novel approaches to the synthesis of functional macromolecules that are not readily obtained by the current conventional methods. This is in part because the strategies for the controlled synthesis of macromolecules will be explored from a variety of points of view including: the precise control of propagating centers in vinyl or ring-opening polymerizations; the use of repetitive stepwise approaches; and the in vitro use of bio-systems. Though the meeting will focus on the synthetic side of polymer science, its impact on polymer and material science in general will be widely felt.
This research area has drawn much interest both in industrial and academic circles. In addition, macromolecules with highly controlled architecture are finding increasing applications in advanced technologies, targeted delivery systems, media for advance separations or molecular recognition, biological mimics, supramolecular assemblies, sensors, molecular devices, etc. Novel macromolecules, macromolecular assemblies, nanoscale entities and devices are used, developed and studied by a great variety of chemists, physicists, biologists, health scientists, engineers, materials scientists, etc., all of whom will benefit from the availability of novel highly controlled engineered functional polymeric materials. Seminar organizers have made a special effort to involve younger researchers as both participants and observers. The exchange of ideas and data with Japanese experts in this field will enable U.S. participants to advance their own work, and will set the stage for future collaborative projects. Following the seminar, it is anticipated that the presentations will be published in a special issue of the Journal of Macromolecular Science, Pure and Applied Chemistry. ***
