Environmental Molecular Science Institute: Actinides and Heavy Metals in the Environment - The Formation, Stability, and Impact of Nano- and Micro-Particles

环境分子科学研究所：环境中的锕系元素和重金属 - 纳米和微米颗粒的形成、稳定性和影响

• 批准号: 0221966
• 负责人: Jeremy Fein
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Notre Dame
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-09-15 至 2009-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0221966&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Environmental; Molecular; Science; Institute; Actinides

The overall goal of the Environmental Molecular Science Institute (EMSI) centered at the Univesity of Notre Dame will be to provide a quantitative, mechanistic, molecular-scale understanding of the factors affecting the formation, stability, and impact of nano- and micro-particles. This EMSI has strong links with collaborators at several National Laboratories (Argonne, Oak Ridge, Sandia) and in industry (DuPont Engineering Technologies). Research conducted at the Instititue will provide a molecular-scale understanding of heavy-metal (Cd, Cu, Pb) and actinide (U, Np) interactions with nano- and micro-particles in the environment. The scientific activities of the Institute will integrate traditional macroscopic and microscopic techniques with state-of-the-art molecular-scale approaches such as x-ray absorption spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and molecular dynamics modeling. Concurrent with these scientific activities, the Institute will serve as a focus for a range of innovative educational programs with the purpose being: 1) to disseminate state-of-the-art understanding of environmental chemistry to an audience outside of the scientific community; 2) to provide broad, interdisciplinary educational experiences to a large number of undergraduate and graduate environmental molecular science students, and 3) to train students from traditionally underrepresented groups in environmental molecular science. We will set up a M.Sc. program specifically aimed at talented undergraduate students from underrepresented groups whose pre-requisites fall slightly below regular admissions standards. We feel that admission to a M.Sc. program will enable a large fraction of these students to blossom, and these successful students will then continue on in a Ph.D. program, either at University of Notre Dame, or elsewhere. In either case, our Institute will have played a key role in increasing the number of underrepresented minorities working at the highest levels in environmental molecular science.

以圣母大学为中心的环境分子科学研究所（EMSI）的总体目标将是对影响纳米和微粒形成、稳定性和影响的因素提供定量的、机制的、分子尺度的理解。该EMSI与几个国家实验室（Argonne, Oak Ridge, Sandia）和工业（杜邦工程技术）的合作者有着密切的联系。在该研究所进行的研究将提供重金属（Cd, Cu, Pb）和锕系元素（U, Np）与环境中纳米和微粒相互作用的分子尺度的理解。研究所的科学活动将把传统的宏观和微观技术与最先进的分子尺度方法结合起来，如x射线吸收光谱、原子力显微镜和分子动力学建模。在进行这些科学活动的同时，该研究所将作为一系列创新教育项目的重点，其目的是：1)向科学界以外的观众传播最先进的环境化学知识；2)为大量环境分子科学本科生和研究生提供广泛的跨学科教育经验；3)培养传统上代表性不足的环境分子科学群体的学生。我们将设立一个硕士项目，专门针对来自代表性不足的群体的有才华的本科生，他们的先决条件略低于常规录取标准。我们认为，进入硕士课程将使这些学生中的很大一部分得到发展，这些成功的学生随后将继续在圣母大学或其他地方攻读博士学位。在任何一种情况下，我们的研究所都将在增加在环境分子科学最高级别工作的代表性不足的少数群体的数量方面发挥关键作用。