Conference Proposal: The Second International Conference on Bioinspired and Zwitterionic Materials

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Non-Technical: This award by the Biomaterials program in the Division of Materials Research to University of Washington at Seattle is to support a two-day conference titled "Conference Proposal: The Second International Conference on Bioinspired and Zwitterionic Materials" at University of Washington, Seattle, WA on August 12-14, 2015. This award is cofunded by the Interfacial Processes and Thermodynamics, and Biomedical Engineering programs, both in the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (ENG). This second international conference on Bioinspired and Zwitterionic Materials will present new scientific discoveries and developments, and will broadly discuss potential applications in a wide range of scientific and engineering applications. The conference will provide the mechanism for the exchange of ideas, generation of new approaches and technologies and initiation of future collaborations among the attendees. This international conference is expected to attract researchers from different countries, and different regions of the country, and they will have opportunity to interact during this conference, and this in turn would enhance and improve scientific, engineering and educational activities in the proposed topics. These interactions are particularly important for students and postdoctoral fellows. The other broader impact goal of this proposal is to increase the participation of students and underrepresented minority students in science and engineering areas. The conference format will provide students with various opportunities to attend state-of-art lectures by top scientists and meet with them, communicate and present their results, and participate in discussions at the conferences, during poster sessions, and conference breaks.Technical: Researchers attending this conference will exchange information on new discoveries related to fundamental studies and engineering/medical/life science applications of bio- and zwitterionic materials. The planned sessions include: 1) Bioinspired and zwitterionic materials - Fundamentals of Molecular Design and Synthesis; 2) Characterization and Surface Engineering of these Materials; and 3) Applications of these Materials in Medical Devices and Biosensors, Antifouling and Membrane Technologies, and Conducting and Energy-related Systems. The main characteristics of the conference are: (a) researchers working in this area will exchange information on new discoveries related to fundamental studies and potential applications; (b) researchers outside zwitterionic materials field will learn of the unique capabilities of these materials to solve challenging problems; and c) career and professional development opportunities for students, postdoctoral scholars and young faculty members.