This U.S.-Hungarian program provides International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) by linking partners at Alleghney College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, with counterparts at the Research Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Led by David Statman at Alleghney and Istvan Janossy in Budapest, the collaborative program is designed to provide early career experience for undergraduates through guided research on liquid crystals. The broader goal is to add to our understanding of optical effects in dye-doped liquid crystals and the surface interactions in these systems.
At Alleghney College, efforts will focus on gliding with an optical field. The Budapest component of the IRES collaboration will emphasize studies of gliding with an applied magnetic field. Prior to going abroad, student participants will prepare with a spring semester of undergraduate research in physics or chemistry at their home institutions, followed by a four week full time summer session in Prof. Statman?s group to prepare samples and plan projects. Ending with six weeks of lab work in Budapest, each student will gain further experience with azo dye-doped liquid crystals, learn new techniques, and obtain experimental results while interacting with top-notch scientists at the Hungarian Institute.
This U.S.-Hungarian IRES on the properties of liquid crystals fulfills the program objective of advancing scientific knowledge by enabling experts in the United States and Europe to combine complementary talents and share research resources in areas of strong mutual interest and competence. For broader impact, the joint activity builds upon the successful collaboration of Statman and Janossy while preparing U.S. undergraduates for research in an interdisciplinary field where there is growing demand for new technologies in optical communications and for new materials that respond to low light levels. The early career exposure to international team work with European experts is expected to better prepare these U.S. students for future graduate study in a promising and globally competitive field. The IRES is supported with funds from the NSF Chemistry Division and the Office of International Science and Engineering.
