9531333 Frank This REU site award provides an opportunity for fifteen undergraduates to undertake research in the area of interfacial science of organic materials for a period of ten weeks. Students will participate in the formation and characterization of thin organic films and interfaces of materials that are important for subsequent generations of liquid crystal display, sensors, and lubricants for magnetic recording. This program will capitalize on the resources and personnel of the Center on Polymer Interfaces and Macromolecular Assemblies (CPIMA). CPIMA is a partnership of research groups from Stanford University, IBM Almaden Research Center, and the University of California, Davis. Undergraduate participants in the program will have the unique opportunity to work in a world-class university or corporate research laboratory. The participants for this program will primarily be recruited from national non research oriented universities and colleges and regional community colleges. Distinct efforts will be made to recruit women and minority students. %%% To give the students a well rounded experience and to equip them with the practical skills needed to enter graduate school or the corporate sector, several professional enhancement programs, such as tours of global R&D laboratories and seminars by scientists and graduate students on their professional and personal experiences have been incorporated into this program. High-tech Silicon Valley and the opportunities offered in the San Francisco Bay Area are an added feature. Social activities are also planned to give the students a `flavor' for graduate student life and to help them in forming a support network. ***
