The 2011 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Liquid Crystals (LCs), partially supported by the Solid State and Materials Chemistry and Biomaterials programs in the Division of Materials Research will explore the new advances in liquid crystal science and technology and their role in novel forward thinking applications. The conference will be held at Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA from June 19-24, 2011. Liquid crystal science has played a significant role in many basic and applied fields, including physics, chemistry, biology and engineering. Composed of anisotropic organic and biological molecules, liquid crystals interact with external fields and surfaces to influence strongly their orientational order, structure and properties. From the basic perspective, the orientational order and collective molecular behavior are central contributions to the biological science of self-assembly of membranes, to the dynamics of tissues and muscles activities, and to DNA assemblies. The extraordinary values and contributions of liquid crystals to the modern photonic and information display technologies have revolutionized the way we visualize and present information in so-called information displays, ranging from mobile to projection devices, flat panel TVs to 3D displays, and eco-friendly e-papers. The GRC on LCs will focus on their role in self-assembly, nanoscience and biotechnology. The conference will address the most important current themes in liquid crystals presented by the world?s leading scientists in the fields of biomedical science, engineering, and nanotechnology.
NONTECHNICAL The 2011 Gordon Conference on Liquid Crystals will provide participants with an unique forum to disclose unpublished data, deliberate and challenge novel ideas outside the realm of accepted thought, and ultimately push outward the frontiers of science and innovation for a particular field. The meeting will provide a forum for career networking and career advancement and will support and encourage young scientists and graduate students as they take their first steps in the vibrant and intrinsically interdisciplinary research field of liquid crystals, helping them establish initial scientific and personal contacts. As a part of the outreach activities of the Conference, the funding will be used to support graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior scientists from underrepresented groups and enable the opportunity of building networks of friends and mentors, and forge long-term professional contacts. Seven women and minority speakers/discussion leaders are included in the preliminary program. To ensure large participation from the underrepresented groups, advertisements will be posted at societies such as National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP), National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) and to increase number of women and minorities participation at the meeting.
was held at Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts, June 19-24, 2011. Liquid crystal science and technology is truly interdisciplinary, combining basic aspects of physics, chemistry, biology and engineering. The Conference was well-attended with 13% minority attendees and approximately 26% of the female participants, and the NSF grant provided travel supports to graduate students from underrepresented groups to present their poster papers at the meeting. Most importantly, young scientists and graduate students found the opportunity of building networks of friends and mentors, and forge long-term professional contacts with leading scientists during the extended poster sessions and social events. FINDINGS The conference addressed the most important current themes in liquid crystals by the world’s leading scientists. Because of the useful electro-optical properties of liquid crystals and their successful use in information display technology, academic researchers continue to push the envelope to find other uses and modalities of these materials at the conference. Specifically, topics discussed include identifying the underlying physical mechanisms of soft condensed matter, exploring the role of anisotropic interactions of nanoparticles in functional media, tweezing and modulating the assembly and motion of nanoparticles in order fluids, and optical stimulating and mechanical actuating in bio-relevance materials.
