Discovery Corps Fellowship: Advancing Materials Chemistry Research and Enhancing the Doctoral Experience to Foster a Diverse Workforce

化学系支持密歇根大学（UM）的香农瓦特（Shannon Watt）作为2007-2008和2008-2009学年的发现队博士后研究员。该项目将整合她在材料化学、学生指导和促进STEM教育多样性方面的兴趣和经验。瓦特的研究重点是具有特殊性质的取代共轭聚合物的固态表征。瓦特将使用各种光谱学和显微技术来研究基材改性和加工条件对表面上这些聚合物的自组装、取向和性能的影响。这些研究弥合了聚合物合成和物理表征领域之间的差距，有望为控制这些导电聚合物在微电子器件中的潜在用途的界面分子相互作用提供见解。这个探索队项目的服务部分侧重于与UM化学系和UM ADVANCE项目的成员合作，在研究生层面建立一个长期、可持续的多样性倡议。项目将旨在吸引和激励更多的女性和少数族裔澳大研究生在STEM领域从事职业。传播这些努力的成果将有助于使国家的科学劳动力多样化和加强。探索队奖学金计划寻求新的博士后和专业发展模式，将研究专长与专业服务相结合。探索队成员通过解决国家需要领域的项目利用他们的研究专长。他们的项目提高了研究能力和基础设施，有助于劳动力发展和创造就业机会。探索队项目同时支持博士后和高级研究员。

The Division of Chemistry supports Shannon Watt of the University of Michigan (UM) as a Discovery Corps Postdoctoral Fellow for the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 academic years. This project will integrate her interests and experience in materials chemistry, student mentoring, and fostering diversity in STEM education. Watt's research centers on the solid-state characterization of substituted conjugated polymers with unusual properties. Watt will use a variety of spectroscopic and microscopic techniques to investigate the effects of substrate modification and processing conditions on the self-assembly, orientation, and properties of these polymers on surfaces. These studies, which bridge the gap between the fields of polymer synthesis and physical characterization, promise to provide insights into the interfacial molecular interactions governing the potential use of these conducting polymers in microelectronic devices. The service component of this Discovery Corps project focuses on collaborations with members of the UM Department of Chemistry and the UM ADVANCE program to create a long-term, sustainable diversity initiative at the graduate level. Projects will be designed to engage and inspire larger numbers of female and minority UM graduate students to pursue careers in STEM fields. Dissemination of the results of these efforts will help to diversify and strengthen the nation's scientific workforce.The Discovery Corps Fellowship Program seeks new postdoctoral and professional development models that combine research expertise with professional service. Discovery Corps Fellows leverage their research expertise through projects that address areas of national need. Their projects enhance research capacity and infrastructure and contribute to workforce development and job creation. The Discovery Corps Program supports both Postdoctoral Fellows and Senior Fellows.