NNCI: Southeastern Nanotechnology Infrastructure Corridor (SENIC)

非技术描述：纳米材料和器件的开发，以及将这些组件纳入完整系统，是应对能源，健康和环境全球挑战的重要组成部分。然而，纳米科学和工程通常需要使用复杂和昂贵的工具和设施来制造和表征这些材料和设备。这就需要共享国家资源，以支持学术机构的基础研究，并支持小型和大型企业将这些发现转化为商业产品。作为国家纳米技术协调基础设施（NNCI）计划的一部分，东南纳米技术基础设施走廊（SENIC）建立了格鲁吉亚理工学院电子和纳米技术研究所与纳米科学和纳米工程联合学院之间的伙伴关系，北卡罗来纳州AT州立大学（NCA T）和格林斯伯勒的北卡罗来纳州大学（UNCG）之间的学术合作。这个国家资源提供了开放访问纳米加工和表征设施和工具，沿着专家工作人员的支持，以不断增长的用户社区在美国东南部的SENIC基础设施将加强和加速发现纳米科学和纳米工程，解决重要的国家研究重点，包括NSF 10大理念，包括量子科学，融合研究和生物医学技术等主题。此外，由于社会和经济需求需要训练有素的劳动力在纳米技术的工具和技术，SENIC实施了一个全面的教育和推广计划，嵌入了社会和道德责任的教训，旨在达到广泛和多样化的学生，教师和公众的观众。技术描述：SENIC拥有350种纳米技术制造和表征工具，其目标是提供一站式服务，涵盖使用纳米级图案的自上而下的方法，以及基于纳米材料合成和添加剂加工的自下而上的方法。计划和活动旨在解决用户意识，可访问性和可负担性。SENIC将以跨学科的文化运作，工程师，科学家，医生，教育工作者，政策专家和经济发展专业人士共同努力，共享设施和工具，并深入了解行业机遇和社会挑战，以促进发明加速转化为创新。此外，SENIC将与NNCI网络中的其他网站合作，创建一个通过合作，分享最佳实践，学术互动和相互支持而加强的研究生态系统。此外，SENIC合作伙伴将与本科生和研究生合作，并与两年制技术学院合作，培养来自不同背景的科学和工程专业人员，他们已准备好满足21世纪世纪的全球劳动力需求。与此同时，我们的外展活动，教师培训和公众意识活动将鼓励K-12学生，针对服务不足的学校和地区，参与STEM管道，并将帮助创建一个支持纳米技术安全和负责任发展的知情公民。SENIC的社会和伦理影响计划将被嵌入到我们的使命和运作中，并将解决由NNCI启用的纳米科学和工程的智力，社会和经济影响。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-Technical Description:Development of nanoscale materials and devices, and incorporation of these components into full systems, is an important part of addressing global challenges in energy, health, and the environment. However, nanoscale science and engineering often requires the use of complex and expensive tools and facilities for the fabrication and characterization of these materials and devices. This necessitates the support of shared national resources for both basic research in academic institutions and the translation of these discoveries into commercial products by small and large enterprises. As part of the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) program, the Southeastern Nanotechnology Infrastructure Corridor (SENIC) establishes a partnership between the Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, an academic collaboration between North Carolina A&T State University (NCA&T) and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). This national resource provides open access to nanofabrication and characterization facilities and tools along with expert staff support to a growing user community across the southeastern U.S. The SENIC infrastructure will strengthen and accelerate discovery in nanoscience and nanoengineering, addressing important national research priorities including the NSF 10 Big Ideas encompassing topics such as quantum science, convergence research, and biomedical technologies. In addition, because societal and economic needs require a skilled workforce trained in the tools and techniques of nanotechnology, SENIC implements a comprehensive education and outreach program, embedded with lessons in social and ethical responsibility, designed to reach a broad and diverse audience of students, teachers and the public.Technical Description:With access to 350 nanotechnology fabrication and characterization tools, SENIC's goal is to provide a one-stop-shop approach, covering both top-down approaches using nanoscale patterning, as well as bottom-up approaches based on nanomaterials synthesis and additive processing. Programs and activities are designed to address user awareness, accessibility, and affordability. SENIC will operate with an interdisciplinary culture where engineers, scientists, physicians, educators, policy experts, and economic development professionals work together with shared access to facilities and tools and a deep understanding of industry opportunities and societal challenges to promote the accelerated translation of invention into innovation. In addition, SENIC will work in partnership with the other sites in the NNCI network to create a research ecosystem that is strengthened by collaboration, sharing of best practices, scholarly interaction, and mutual support. Furthermore, the SENIC partners will work with undergraduate and graduate students, as well as partner with 2-year technical colleges, to produce science and engineering professionals from diverse backgrounds who are ready to meet the global workforce demands of the 21st century. In tandem, our outreach activities, teacher training, and public awareness events will encourage K-12 students, targeting schools and districts with underserved populations, to participate in the STEM pipeline and will help create an informed citizenry that supports the safe and responsible development of nanotechnology. The SENIC societal and ethical implications program will be embedded into our mission and operation, and will address the intellectual, societal, and economic impact of nanoscale science and engineering enabled by the NNCI.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.