U.S.-Brazil Planning Visit for Studying Network Fiber Formation in Gels

在美国国际科学与工程办公室美洲项目的支持下，乔治城大学的Richard G. Weiss将与巴西坎皮纳斯大学的Teresa D. Z. Atvars教授探讨凝胶科学领域的研究合作。Atvars教授有一个荧光显微镜，可以跟踪成核和随后的聚集步骤，导致分子凝胶的自组装纤维网络（SAFINs）。这个一般的研究主题是Weiss教授实验室目前正在进行的一个项目的一部分。从拟议的研究中获得的信息对于理解各种不同的成核结晶现象至关重要，这是溶胶-凝胶化学的一个重要领域。教授的方法和训练。Atvars和Weiss是完全不同的，他们的专业领域是互补的。这些差异和互补性预计将产生单独在它们的任何一个实验室都不可能产生的结果。这个前瞻性的合作研究项目将为那些将凝胶（包括分子凝胶）应用于健康领域（植入设备或皮肤贴片的药物输送速度）、提高石油采收率（页岩裂解阶段）甚至艺术品保护的人提供蓝图。人力资源开发也将是一个重要的组成部分。除了让巴西和美国的研究生一起学习解决问题的新技术和方法外，美国学生还将学习如何适应不同的文化。

In this U.S.-Brazil planning visit supported by the Americas Program of the Office of International Science and Engineering, Richard G. Weiss of Georgetown University will explore research collaboration in the area of gel science with Prof. Teresa D. Z. Atvars of the University of Campinas in Brazil. Professor Atvars has a fluorescence microscope that can follow the nucleation and subsequent aggregation steps leading to self-assembled fibrillar networks (SAFINs) of molecular gels. This general research theme is part of a project currently being being pursued in Prof. Weiss's laboratory. The information to be obtained from the proposed research is central to understanding a wide range of different nucleation-crystallization phenomena, an important area in sol-gel chemistry. The approaches and training of Profs. Atvars and Weiss are quite different, and their areas of expertise are complementary. These differences and complementarities are expected to produce results that would not be possible in either of their laboratories alone.The prospective collaborative research project will provide a blueprint for those who are employing gels, including molecular gels, for applications in health fields (rates of drug delivery for implanted devices or dermal patches), enhanced oil recovery (at the shale cracking stage), and even art conservation. There will also be an important component of human resource development. In addition to having both Brazilian and US graduate students work side by side to learn new techniques and approaches to problem solving, the US students will also learn how to adapt to a different culture.