Press Release for Tuesday, September 15, 2015
UNF Professors Awarded NSF Grant for Nanomanufacturing Research
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Media Contact: Andrea Mestdagh, Specialist
Department of Public Relations
(904) 620-2192
Researchers
in the departments of Chemistry and Physics at the University of North Florida
were recently awarded a three-year research grant totaling $250,000 by the
National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop new nanomanufacturing techniques
for the electronics and communications industries.
Facilities
required to generate complex nanostructures routinely cost billions of dollars.
Motivation for this research stems from the observation that traditional
patterning techniques for making integrated circuits for small electrical
devices have steadily increased in cost and complexity.
With
this funding, Dr. Thomas J. Mullen, UNF assistant professor of chemistry, Dr.
Corey P. Causey, UNF assistant professor of chemistry, and Dr. Daniel F.
Santavicca, UNF assistant professor of physics, will collaborate to develop a
nanoscale, or minute, form of lithography that will complement the traditional
approach by allowing better precision and resolution, resulting in more
powerful and compact electronics.
“While
UNF has committed substantial resources to enable
research efforts by faculty members, this grant represents an opportunity to
establish the University as a place where impactful and meaningful research
is being performed,” said Mullen. “The research assists with
preparing our students for their future endeavors all the while making
meaningful contributions to the scientific community.”
Undergraduate
research students will assist with the project, providing them additional
involvement with experimental techniques, ranging from organic synthesis to
fabrication, and will allow them to see a project from development to
conception.
The
area of nanoscience research is an emerging strength at the University. In
addition to this grant, the Department of Physics, in collaboration with the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, were recently awarded a three-year NSF
research grant totaling nearly $500,000 to advance research in the fields of
nanotechnology and nanoscience. UNF has also received three other NSF grants in
the last year.
The mission of the
Department of Chemistry is to provide excellent educational experiences to
foster a solid background in the foundational aspects of chemistry, an
understanding of the scientific methods of inquiry, and an appreciation of the
significance and relevance of chemistry in daily life.
The
mission of the Department of Physics is to provide excellent educational
experiences in physics, astronomy and geological science, as well as to advance
knowledge in physics through research and service to the University, public and
our profession.
UNF,
a
nationally ranked
university located on an
environmentally beautiful campus, offers students who are dedicated to
enriching the lives of others the opportunity to build their own futures
through a well-rounded education.
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