NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in Japan

这一行动资助西北大学的卡森·J·布伦斯于2013年夏天在日本东京文京区的东京大学开展了一个数学和物理科学研究项目。该项目的标题是“对简单分子进行编程，使其自组装成具有复杂分层结构的定义明确的纳米颗粒。”“自下而上”的纳米技术策略打着自组装、超分子化学和分子纳米技术的旗号，往往对实验条件高度敏感，或受到偶然发现的限制。这一领域的科学突破将以描述如何以更合理、更可预测、更健壮和更明确的方式自组装日益复杂的纳米对象的研究为标志。为此，该奖项支持开发被称为M12L24球的自组装金属-有机分子纳米粒子(其中M是金属离子，L是有机配体)，以作为一个平台，围绕着它来协调更复杂的分子结构的分级自组装。这一目标是通过在具有分子识别能力的配体上安装官能团来实现的，这使得它们能够参与多种兼容的自组装模式，这些自组装模式跨越了一系列强度和长度尺度的光谱，并包括诸如机械互锁的分子(如Catenane、轮烷和假轮烷)的原型的自组装。EAPSI奖学金的更广泛影响包括为研究员提供美国以外的第一手研究经验；介绍各自所在地的科学、科学政策和科学基础设施；以及了解社会、文化和语言。这些活动符合NSF的目标，即在其科学家、工程师和教育工作者的职业生涯早期为国际合作进行教育，从而确保拥有一支具有全球意识的美国科学队伍。此外，该研究员通过在国际研究会议上以及在日本和美国的合作国家实验室分享EAPSI经验，向广大受众传播和加强科学理解。这位研究员将通过在主办机构指导本科生进行相关研究，将这种国际研究经验的好处扩展到更年轻的学生。

This action funds Carson J. Bruns of Northwestern University to conduct a research project in Math and Physical Sciences during the summer of 2013 at the University of Tokyo in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. The project title is "Programming Simple Molecules to Self-Assemble into Well-Defined Nanoparticles with Intricate Hierarchical Architectures." The host scientist is Professor Makoto Fujita.The 'bottom-up' strategies to nanotechnology, which carry the banners of self-assembly, supramolecular chemistry, and molecular nanotechnology, are often highly sensitive to experimental conditions or limited by serendipitous discovery. Scientific breakthroughs in this field will be marked by research that describes ways to self-assemble increasingly intricate nano-objects in a more rational, predictable, robust, and well-defined manner. Toward this end, the award supports the development of self-assembled metallo-organic molecular nanoparticles known as M12L24 spheres (where M is a metal ion and L is an organic ligand) to serve as a platform around which to orchestrate the hierarchical self-assembly of more complex molecular architectures. This goal is realized by installing functional groups on the ligands that have the capacity for molecular recognition, which allow them to participate in multiple compatible modes of self-assembly that span a spectrum of strengths and length scales, and include the self-assembly of 'molecular machine' prototypes such as mechanically interlocked molecules known as catenanes, rotaxanes, and pseudorotaxanes. Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. Furthermore, the Fellow disseminates and enhances scientific understanding to a broad audience by sharing the EAPSI experience at international research conferences and at collaborating national laboratories in both Japan and the United States. The Fellow will extend the benefits of this international research experience to younger students by mentoring undergraduates in related research at the host institution.