Graduate Trainees Program in Optical Science and Technology

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GER-9554521 Ulman We are proposing a Graduate Research Traineeship Program in Optical Science and Engineering, in two strategic areas: materials for photonics, and for information storage applications. The Office of Science and Technology Policy has emphasized that materials synthesis and processing are critical technologies. Also, the U.S. Army and Air Force are supporting research in optical science and technology, especially in the two strategic areas proposed here. The trainees in this program will develop new materials for photonics applications and for digital image storage. Their research will be carried out at four levels: * Design and investigations of molecules;* Design and investigations of polymers;* Processing of polymers;* Device fabrication; Students will be involved in all research facets, and will interact with a number of faculty, and enjoy a stimulating interdisciplinary research environment. Theoretical work will be carried out in collaboration with Professor Shaul Mukamel at the University of Rochester. Investigations of Langmuir-Blodgett films will be carried out at the NSF Center for Photoinduced Electron Transfer, at the University of Rochester, in collaboration with Professor David Whitten. The trainees in this program could enter a PhD track in the Chemistry or Chemical Engineering Department at the Polytechnic University, and would be drawn from Chemistry and/or Chemical Engineering. The goals of the nonlinear optics part of program have been defined together with Dr. David Williams of Eastman Kodak Company, and training opportunities for the trainees at Kodak Research Laboratories, through summer employment, are now being discussed. Also included in this program are high school and undergraduate mentoring. Plans for recruiting trainees will emphasize underrepresented groups. Five students would be recruited for these traineeships and would complete their PhD programs in 5 years or less.