Symposium on Mechanics of Composites in the Era of Energy and Nanotechnology; held May 20-22, 2007; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York

核能的复兴需要开发在恶劣环境(如强辐射和高温)下耐失效的新型反应堆材料。例如，复合材料或合金形式的纳米结构材料在这方面非常有希望。在复合材料力学方面已经有了许多专业知识，许多新的纳米结构材料每月甚至每天都会出现。将这种专门知识(和知识)纳入核反应堆材料的开发将促进和加速核能的复兴。本次研讨会旨在汇聚来自三个领域的专家：复合材料力学、核能和纳米技术。总结过去，充分利用纳米技术的进步，这次研讨会将试图确定在辐射、高温和高应变率变形下制造和应用纳米结构材料的关键科学技术问题。这样的鉴定将为国家科学基金会和整个科学界提供投入。这次研讨会也将对核能的复兴产生积极影响，从而提高国家的能源自主性。虽然受过教育的核工程师严重短缺，但作为联合赞助商之一的伦斯勒理工学院拥有大量(全国最大的)核工程本科生。论坛将为这些学生提供一个很好的教育机会。

The revival of nuclear energy requires the development of novel reactor materials that are resistant to failure under severe environments (e.g., intense radiation and high temperature). Nanostructured materials, in the form of composites or alloys for example, are very promising for this purpose. Much expertise already exists in composite mechanics, and many novel nanostructured materials emerge on monthly even daily basis. Incorporation of such expertise (and knowledge) in the development of nuclear reactor materials would catalyze and speed up the revival of nuclear energy. This symposium aims to bring together experts from three communities: mechanics of composites, nuclear energy, and nanotechnology. Learning from the past and taking full advantage of nanotechnology advancement, this symposium will try to identify key scientific and technological issues of making and applying nanostructured materials under radiation, high temperature, and high strain rate deformation. Such identification will serve inputs for both National Science Foundation and the scientific community in general.This symposium will have also positive impacts on the revival of nuclear energy, which in turn enhances the nation's energy independence. While educated nuclear engineers are in serious short supply, as a co-sponsor Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has a large (one of the largest in the nation) population of nuclear engineering undergraduate students. The forum will provide these students a great educational opportunity.