The 2013 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Liquid Crystals (LCs) will explore new advances in liquid crystal science and technology and their role in novel forward thinking applications. The conference will be held at the University of New England, Biddeford, ME from June 16-21, 2013. 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.
The 2013 Gordon Conference on Liquid Crystals will provide participants with a unique forum to disclose unpublished data, deliberate and challenge novel ideas outside the realm of accepted thought, and ultimately push outward the frontiers of science and innovation for a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 to build networks of friends and mentors and to forge long-term professional contacts. Ten women and minority speakers/discussion leaders are included in the preliminary program.
The Gordon Research Conference on LIQUID CRYSTALS was held at the University of New England, Biddeford Maine, June 16 - 21, 2013. The Conference was well-attended with 139 participants (attendees list attached). The attendees represented the spectrum of endeavor in this field coming from academia, industry, and government laboratories, both U.S. and foreign scientists, senior researchers, young investigators, and students. Of the 139 attendees, 65 voluntarily responded to a general inquiry regarding ethnicity which appears on our registration forms. Of the 65 respondents, 12% were Minorities – 5% Hispanic,17% Asian and 0% African American. Approximately 27% of the participants at the 2013 meeting were women. In designing the formal speakers program, emphasis was placed on current unpublished research and discussion of the future target areas in this field. There was a conscious effort to stimulate lively discussion about the key issues in the field today. Time for formal presentations was limited in the interest of group discussions. In order that more scientists could communicate their most recent results, poster presentation time was scheduled. Attached is a copy of the formal schedule and speaker program and the poster program. In addition to these formal interactions, "free time" was scheduled to allow informal discussions. Such discussions are fostering new collaborations and joint efforts in the field. Thank you for your support of this Conference. As you know, in the interest of promoting the presentation of unpublished and frontier-breaking research, Gordon Research Conferences does not permit publication of meeting proceedings.
