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

该综合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高度跨学科领域的研究生培训计划，该领域是许多科学和技术领域进步的核心-表面和界面的纳米级控制。该计划为来自七个学科的博士生提供在纳米级前沿研究所需的实验和理论技术方面的实践，跨学科培训。该计划基于一个动态的，以学生为中心的教育框架，将学生从K-16教育典型的基于课程的教育模式过渡到专业研发环境所需的自我导向学习。&作为他们的培训的一个组成部分，学生进行跨学科研究的主题，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，以及超灵敏的化学和生物传感器的制造。该计划解决了国家劳动力在材料研究中的需求，最近美国国家科学院的研究记录。该研究确定了纳米材料领域-该培训的重点-作为全球增长最快的领域。通过教育新一代的纳米材料研究人员，并在这个快速发展的领域进行基础研究，该计划提高了美国的竞争力。 该方案还通过与两所历史上的黑人学院/大学直接合作、一个实质性的招聘方案和一个广泛的本科生研究方案，解决了妇女和少数民族在材料领域代表性不足的问题。IGERT是一个NSF范围内的计划，旨在满足教育美国博士的挑战。具有跨学科背景的科学家和工程师，在所选学科的深厚知识，以及未来职业需求所需的技术，专业和个人技能。该计划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促进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.