Funds are requested to partially support the 2006 Membranes: Materials and Processes Gordon Research Conference to be held August 6-11, 2006 at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, NH. Professors Glenn Lipscomb (University of Toledo) and Matthias Wessling (Twente University) are co-Chairs for the meeting and Professors Peter Pintauro (Case Western Reserve University) and Andrew Zydney (Pennsylvania State University) are co-Vice Chairs.
Intellectual Merit: The program will feature the latest developments in membrane science and technology in areas of national interest including energy and water treatment. The presentations will come from a balanced slate of industrial, academic, and governmental speakers; many of the academic speakers will be NSF awardees. Additionally, the presentations will include work supported through current national research initiatives such as the National Nanotechnology and Homeland Security Initiatives.
The broader impact of the project will be direct impact on the development of young researchers. The requested funding will be used to support attendance of graduate students, post-doctoral research associates, and young faculty from U.S. institutions. Attendance at the Gordon Conference will provide an opportunity to discuss their work with more senior researchers and to stimulate their interest in a career in the membrane field. Historically, the Gordon Conference has also been a fertile ground for the cultivation of new collaborations and research ideas. The conference format promotes this by providing ample opportunity for casual interaction during meals, between sessions, and at evening social events.
The meeting is being advertised in the Journal of Membrane Science, the North American Membrane Society Membrane Quarterly, and their European, Japanese, and Korean counterparts. Information about the meeting is posted on the internet at www.membranes.org. Many students and senior researchers present their work in the very informal Gordon Research Conference atmosphere and this typically stimulates meaningful discussions between students and leaders in the field.
