NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center in Coatings at Eastern Michigan University

建议在南密西西比大学和东密歇根大学建立涂料国家科学基金会产业/大学合作研究中心(I/UCRC)。该中心的使命有两个：(I)成为世界领先的学术组织，发展相关的、竞争前的科学知识，以了解和推进聚合物涂料技术；(Ii)扩大能够在涂料领域发挥作用的科学家和技术员队伍。通过这个项目，该中心将直接解决阻碍涂料进步的障碍：(1)缺乏精确的聚合物合成方法，(2)需要更好地了解薄膜形成和控制抗机械和化学损害的分子水平过程，(3)需要扩展和发展对涂料中降解过程的系统了解，(4)缺乏了解涂料科学和技术的科学家和技术人员。

Establishment of a National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) in Coatings at the University of Southern Mississippi and Eastern Michigan University is proposed. The Center's mission will be two-fold: (i) to be a world leading academic organization that develops relevant, pre-competitive scientific knowledge for understanding and advancing the technologies of polymeric coatings and (ii) to enlarge the cadre of scientists and technologists capable of being productive in the field of coatings.With this program the Center will directly address barriers that impede progress in coatings: (1) a shortage of precise polymer synthetic methods, (2) a need to better understand film formation and molecular level processes that control resistance to mechanical and chemical damage, (3) a need to extend and develop systematic understanding of degradation processes in coatings, and (4) a shortage of scientists and technologists who understand coatings science and technology.