CAREER: Elucidating the role of sigma-hole interactions in advanced functional materials

密西西比大学的沃特金斯教授进行研究，以更深入地了解化学结构和分子之间的相互作用如何影响有机材料的光吸收和电子特性。这些基本的化学知识对于未来设计用于技术应用的功能材料非常重要，例如电子和太阳能设备，这些设备在我们的日常生活中无处不在。此外，该项目还为下一代科学家和工程师提供研究培训。与CAREER计划相结合的是通过将高中高年级学生浸入名为“操作ICB”（我可以）的暑期研究计划来增加年轻女性和代表性不足的少数民族（URM）对科学的兴趣的机会。该计划通过网络和扩展导师制帮助提高STEM相关职业领域的保留率。有机场效应晶体管和有机光电子器件等有机电子器件的运行效率不仅取决于分子组成，还取决于π共轭分子形成的超分子结构。该CAREER项目由NSF的大分子，超分子和纳米化学计划和EPSCoR计划共同支持，其研究重点是为利用新型π共轭分子之间的卤素键合形成高性能光电材料奠定基础。该项目旨在开发分子设计原理，用于控制纳米阵列中π共轭分子的自组织，并增强这些组件的光捕获和电子特性。 该奖项通过将高中毕业生沉浸在夏季研究计划中，提高了年轻女性和代表性不足的少数民族（URM）对科学的兴趣。该计划还通过网络和延长导师制增加了学生在STEM相关职业领域的保留。

Professor Watkins at the University of Mississippi conducts research to gain a deeper understanding of how chemical structures and interactions between molecules affect the light absorbing and electronic properties of organic materials. This fundamental chemistry knowledge is important for the future design of functional materials for technological applications such as electronic and solar devices, which are ubiquitous in our daily lives. Moreover, the project provides research training to the next generation of scientists and engineers. Integrated with the CAREER plan are opportunities to increase the interests of young women and underrepresented minorities (URMs) in science by immersing high school seniors into a summer research program called Operation ICB (I Can Be). The program helps to increase the retention in STEM-related career fields via networking and extended mentorship.The operational efficiency of organic electronic devices such as organic field effect transistors and organic photovoltaics depends not only on the molecular components but also on the supramolecular structure formed by the pi-conjugated molecules. The research focus of this CAREER project, which is jointly supported by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program and the EPSCoR Program of NSF, is to establish the foundation for utilizing halogen bonding between novel pi-conjugated molecules to form high-performing optoelectronic materials. This project aims to develop molecular design principles for controlling the self-organization of pi-conjugated molecules in nanoscale arrays and enhancing the light-harvesting and electronic properties of these assemblies. This award increases the interest of young women and underrepresented minorities (URMs) in science by immersing high school seniors into a summer research program. The program also increases the retention of student in STEM-related career fields via networking and extended mentorship.