The Divisions of Chemistry (CHE), Materials Research (DMR), and Computing & Communication Foundations (CCF) are supporting Hector Abruna, Geoffrey Coates, Paul McEuen, Daniel Ralph, and James Sethna of Cornell University and Mark Ratner of Northwestern University in a research effort as a Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Team (NIRT). Their work will focus on creating and characterizing electronic devices based on single molecules and conducting polymers. The NIRT brings together a multidisciplinary team that can address all aspects of the project from chemical synthesis to physical characterization and modeling. The results of these systematic experiments will provide a fundamental understanding of electronics at the nanoscale. The results from this project could also directly impact technologically important devices such as single-molecule transistors and ultra-small sensors. This work will impact undergraduate and graduate students, including recruitment and retention of underrepresented minorities, and provide excellent training and research experiences in a forefront area of nanoscience. This NIRT will serve as a center of outreach for New York State K-12 teachers by developing and disseminating hands-on laboratory exercises based on New York Math, Science, and Technology Standards. The NIRT participants will also prepare and present a colloquium-style presentation on scientific ethics, which will include a recent case in molecular electronics.
