On December 16, 2002, the Columbia University MRSEC held a Re-Kickoff meeting to launch the MRSEC. About 60 faculty, collaborators, graduate students, postdoctoral scientists, staff, and members of the University Administration attended a celebration lunch and overviews of the MRSEC by Director Irving Herman, IRG research by IRG Leader Louis Brus, and opportunities for collaboration by Chris Murray from IBM.
The Columbia University MRSEC was renewed in the summer of 2002, and the new MRSEC began in September, 2000 for a period of six years. The research direction of the new MRSEC is shifting to the synthesis and properties of complex metal oxide nanocrystals, and the assembly of these particles into films. Education outreach is an important element of the new MRSEC, with visits to NYC high schools and middle schools planned, along with programs for reserach experiences for undergraduates (REU) and teachers (RET). Outreach to industry (IBM, DuPont and others) and national laboratories (Brookhaven National Laboratory) is another focus of the renewed MRSEC.
In late summer 2002, Dr. Michael Steigerwald, formerly of Bell Labs, began working with the MRSEC as a Reserach Scientist in the Department of Chemistry. Dr. Steigerwald is widely known for his achievements in synthesizing nanocrystals and will work with the MRSEC on this and on ab initio calculations of nanoparticle properties (along with Rich Friesner). Prof. Phil Allen of the Department of Physics of the Stony Brook University (State University of New York) is spending the 2002-2003 academic year on sabbatical in the Columbia Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, hosted by Prof. Stephen O'Brien. Prof. Allen will work with the MRSEC on theoretical models of the properties of nanocrystals.
In August, 2002 Richard (Dick) Harniman joined Columbia as Clean Room Supervisor. The MRSEC jointly manages the Clean Room with the NanoCenter and other organizations on campus. Jared Cross, supervisor of the MRSEC Shared Facilities, also works with Dick in the Clean Room.
Colin Nuckolls, assistant professor of organic chemistry and Columbia MRESC member, was awarded a 2002 Beckman Young Investigator Award for his work on "Nanoscale Energy Conversion, Electrical Conduction, and Hierarchical Assembly." The Beckman Young Investigator Awards, established in 1991, provide research support to the most promising young faculty members in the first three years of tenure track appointments in academic and non-profit institutions that conduct fundamental research in the chemical and life sciences. The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation is providing support to this year's 16 winning scientists at 15 institutions. In an interview, Nuckolls acknowledged the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) and Nanotechnology Science and Engineering Center (NSEC) programs for creating an environment conducive to nanoscience and materials chemistry at Columbia. The Arnold and Mabel Foundation is an independent non-profit foundation originally established in 1977 for the purpose of promoting research, primarily in the fields of chemistry and life science.
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