IGERT: A Graduate Traineeship in Nanoscale Control of Surfaces and Interfaces

这一综合性研究生教育和研究培训(IGERT)奖支持康奈尔大学在材料研究的一个高度跨学科领域的研究生培训计划，该领域对许多科学和技术领域的进步-表面和界面的纳米级控制-至关重要。该计划为来自七个学科的博士生提供在纳米尺度前沿研究所必需的实验和理论技术方面的实践和跨学科培训。该计划基于动态的、以学生为中心的教育框架，将学生从K-16教育典型的以课程为基础的教育模式过渡到专业研发环境所必需的自我指导学习。作为培训的一部分，学生在各种主题上进行跨学科研究，如单分子晶体管的生产，非易失性存储器的设计，“塑料”电子产品的开发，以及超灵敏化学和生物传感器的制造。这个项目满足了国家科学院最近一项研究记录的材料研究方面的全国劳动力需求。该研究将纳米材料领域--本次培训的重点--确定为全球增长最快的领域。通过培养新一代纳米材料研究人员并在这一快速增长的领域开展基础研究，该计划提高了美国的竞争力。该计划还通过与两所历史悠久的黑人学院/大学建立直接合作伙伴关系、大规模招生计划和广泛的本科生研究计划，解决了妇女和少数族裔在材料领域代表性不足的问题。IGERT是一个NSF范围内的项目，旨在应对培养具有跨学科背景、所选学科的深厚知识以及满足未来职业需求所需的技术、专业和个人技能的美国博士科学家和工程师的挑战。该项目旨在通过建立创新的研究生教育和培训新模式，在超越传统学科界限的合作研究的肥沃环境中，催化研究生教育的文化变革。

This Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) award supports a graduate training program at Cornell University in a highly interdisciplinary area of materials research that is central to advances in many areas of science and technology - the nanoscale control of surfaces and interfaces. This program provides doctoral students drawn from seven academic disciplines with hands-on, interdisciplinary training in the experimental and theoretical techniques necessary for forefront research at the nanoscale. The program is based on a dynamic, student-centric educational framework that transitions students from the coursework-based educational model typical of K-16 education to the self-directed learning necessary for professional R&D environments. As an integral part of their training, students perform interdisciplinary research on topics as diverse as the production of single molecule transistors, the design of non-volatile memory, the development of "plastic" electronics, and the fabrication of ultrasensitive chemical and biological sensors.This program addresses the national workforce needs in materials research documented by a recent National Academies study. The study identified the field of nanomaterials - the focus of this traineeship - as the area of most rapid growth globally. By educating a new generation of nanomaterials researchers and performing fundamental research in this rapidly growing area, this program increases U.S. competitiveness. The program also addresses the underrepresentation of women and minorities in the field of materials through direct partnerships with two Historically Black Colleges/Universities, a substantial recruiting program and an extensive undergraduate research program. IGERT is an NSF-wide program intended to meet the challenges of educating U.S. Ph.D. scientists and engineers with the interdisciplinary background, deep knowledge in a chosen discipline, and the technical, professional, and personal skills needed for the career demands of the future. The program is intended to catalyze a cultural change in graduate education by establishing innovative new models for graduate education and training in a fertile environment for collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries.