8th African Materials Research Society Conference

在材料研究部和国际科学与工程办公室的支持下，本项目将支持研究生、高级科学家和工程师参加将在加纳阿克拉举行的第八届非洲材料研究学会（A-MRS）会议。在材料研究协会（MRS）的大力支持下，由非洲材料研究协会组织，会议的核心是建立知识，促进关系和促进行动，以进一步了解和理解与材料科学和技术相关的广泛领域。这次会议的核心内容包括增加非洲材料研究界的范围、参与和能力，并将其与美国和其他非非洲同行更紧密地联系起来。虽然非洲物质资源丰富，但它没有适当地利用其资源来发展其区域经济，以充分发挥其潜力。科学、技术和教育的发展被认为是非洲经济和社会发展的重要组成部分。为了提高人们对材料如何影响发展的理解和认识，会议的一个关键目标是汇集来自世界各地的主要科学家，与主要的非洲研究人员进行互动。另一个关键目标是能力建设，其中一部分涉及帮助教育下一代非洲学者和技术专家。这次会议还将向美国和其他非非洲国家的与会者通报非洲材料科学和教育的现状，包括研究需求和发展与合作的机会。将非洲学生、非洲学术和工业领袖以及国际知名科学家与来自美国、欧洲、亚洲和南美洲的学生聚集在一起，为促进信息和资源共享提供了一个独特的机会。政府组织和非政府组织的参与将确保在会议之后有更广泛的听众讨论所讨论的材料题目。这次会议将包括一个由美国的COACh小组领导的关于科学和工程领域女性的特别会议。非洲- mrs会议将在帮助统一非洲快速发展的材料研究界，并帮助将其与非洲以外更广泛的材料研究界联系起来方面发挥至关重要的作用。会议的主题既反映了全球研究界的需求，如能源和卫生，也反映了非洲的具体需求，如适当的建筑材料和可持续的生物材料。会议的主要主题是能源与可持续性、健康与环境、基础纳米科学、计算材料科学、制造与创新、基础设施、教育、石油化学、采矿、农业材料与化学。会议通过汇集国际领先的科学家和工程师来展示和讨论几个广泛的材料研究领域的最新进展，并帮助确定未来的研究重点，从而增加了独特的价值。非洲- mrs，特别是会议，深深致力于教育和能力建设，为学生之间以及与国家和国际领导人直接互动提供了一个独特的平台。

Non-Technical AbstractWith the support from both the Division of Materials Research and the Office of International Science and Engineering, this program will support the participation of graduate students, as well as senior scientists and engineers at the Eighth African Materials Research Society (A-MRS) Conference to be held in Accra, Ghana. Organized by the African-MRS with strong support of the Materials Research Society (MRS), the heart of the Conference is to build knowledge, foster relationships and promote action to further the knowledge and understanding in the broad fields associated with materials science and technology. Central aspects of the conference include increasing the scope, involvement and capabilities of Africa's materials research community, and to link it more closely with it's US and other non-African counterparts. Although Africa is rich in materials resources, it has not taken appropriate advantage of its resources to develop its regional economies to their fullest potential. The growth of science, technology and education are recognized as essential components of the economic and social development of Africa. With an eye toward increasing understanding and awareness of how materials impact development, a key goal of the Conference is to bring together leading scientists from around the world to interact with leading African researchers. Another key goal is capacity building, part of which involves helping educate the next generation of African scholars and technologists. The conference will also inform US and other non-African participants about the current state of materials science and education in Africa, including research needs and opportunities for development and collaboration. Bringing African students, African academic and industrial leaders, and internationally acclaimed scientists together with students from the United States, Europe, Asia and South America offers a unique opportunity to promote information and resource sharing. Participation by governmental and non-governmental organizations will ensure that the materials topics discussed will be addressed by wider audiences following the Conference. The conference will include a special session on women in science and engineering, led by the US-based COACh group. Technical AbstractThe African-MRS Conference will play a vital role to help unify the rapidly growing materials research community in Africa, and help couple it to the broader materials research world outside of Africa. Themes of the Conference reflect both needs of the global research community such as energy and health, as well as needs specific to Africa such as appropriate construction materials and sustainable biomaterials. The primary themes of the Conference are Energy and Sustainability, Health and the Environment, Basic Nanoscience, Computational Materials Science, Manufacturing and Innovation, Infrastructure, Education, Petrochemistry, Mining, and Agricultural Materials and Chemistry. The Conference adds unique value by bringing together leading international scientists and engineers to present and discuss recent advances in several broad areas of materials research and to help define future research priorities. The African-MRS, and the Conference in particular, is deeply committed to education and capacity building, and provides a unique platform for students to directly interact with each other as well as with national and international leaders.