This proposal formally establishes a multi-university Center for Particulate and Surfactant Systems as part of NSF's Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) program. The University of Florida (the lead institution) and Columbia University will maintain research sites to collaborate on research. The proposed center's goal is to develop a knowledge base on the interactions between particulate systems and their relationship with the structure of different surfactants for enhanced performance in the pharmaceutical, chemical, microelectronic, and other nano-bio applications. The research thrust areas identified in the proposal include synthesis, characterization, processing and applications.
The proposed activity involves a number of researchers from different disciplines from both universities. Much of the research will be carried out in collaboration with a number of industrial researchers. The proposed I/UCRC research program will contribute to a timely development and commercialization of targeted research of major societal significance. Work force development through education and advanced training of students will be a resource to industry and academe in this critical field of science and engineering and surfactant systems. In addition, recruitment of women and under-represented groups will be emphasized.
To meet the needs of its industries, the Center has amended its mission to ‘advance, develop, and promote Greener Surfactant & Particle Technologies, where 'greener' is defined as "including or resulting in less hazardous reagents, energy/water/materials savings and more value added with little to no compromise in performance." In collaboration with its industrial partners, the Center intends to accomplish this mission by developing research projects that support the mission in the industry sectors of its members. Member feedback clearly demonstrates that the Center has been able to demonstrate tangible return on investment to members. As far as membership outcomes, 16 of 24 dues-paying members completed the Fall NSF-IAB process/outcome survey. Feedback from the IAB indicates that members are quite satisfied with the Center’s research program and operations and are reaping considerable benefit from their participation in CPaSS. CPaSS is continuing to maintain and increase its current membership level, as shown by its membership roster. Specifically, as it loses members from year to year (due primarily to economic conditions), it has been able to gain new members to replace them and continue to grow through additional non-core projects. The Center is always actively looking to recruit new members by visiting companies and meeting with executives. Although the Center uses traditional recruiting tools, it has found that, in some cases, initiating collaborative work through small sponsored research with a potential company is an opportune method of further strengthening the relationship into a paid IAB membership and quite possibly additional projects through non-core project "enhancement" funding. During the past several years, the Center’s organizational goals were to demonstrate a more tangible return on investment to members, to continue to increase the current membership level, and to further explore cross-site collaborations and funding opportunities. Clearly, the Center is achieving these three goals. As in past surveys, researchers are either very or quite satisfied with the quality of the Center supported research program and the relevance of the Center’s research program to their professional goals. Moreover they indicate that next year, they will definitely or probably submit their best research ideas in a Center funded research. Researchers also are either very or quite satisfied with the Center administrative operations and majority perceive that participation in the Center has had either a very positive or extremely positive impact on feelings of accomplishment from the research they do, opportunities for research contracts/grants, recognition they receive for the work they do, access to useful equipment and ability to publish their work in quality proceedings and journals.
