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Berkeley’s nanoscale research efforts get a boost from National
Science Foundation
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COINS
Executive Committee members include coprincipal investigators
(from left) Roya Maboudian of chemical engineering, Roger
Howe of EECS and mechanical engineering, and COINS director
Alex Zettl of physics.
PEG SKORPINSKI PHOTO |
At Berkeley’s new Center of Integrated Nanomechanical Systems
(COINS), scientists and engineers are working together to create
new nanoscale materials, such as microscopic components for use
in ultra low-power computing devices and synthetic adhesives based
on the tiny biological structures that enable geckos to climb
walls.
With $11.9 million in funding over the next five years from the
National Science Foundation (NSF), COINS is one of six new research
centers for nanoscale research that will involve a multidisciplinary
faculty of researchers from Berkeley, Caltech, Stanford, and UC
Merced, as well as collaborators in industry and the national
laboratories.
“The new centers support research that addresses societal
needs,” says Alex Zettl, professor of physics and COINS
principal investigator. “Our specific goal here at Berkeley
is to develop low-power, manufacturable, and multifunctional systems
for information, medical, and security technologies.”
A major thrust of the centers is to bridge disciplines and provide
a coherent approach to nanotechnology research and education.
At Berkeley, 22 faculty from engineering and chemistry, molecular
and cell biology, physics, and economics will collaborate, focusing
on applications in chemical and biological sensing and high-density,
low-power, low-cost computation. CITRIS (the Center for Information
Technology Research in the Interest of Society), Berkeley Nanosciences
and Nanoengineering Institute, Lawrence Hall of Science, the Molecular
Foundry, and a multitude of other programs will be involved in
an effort to bring Berkeley’s many nanoscale research efforts
under one umbrella.
“From the engineering point of view, the focus of the work
will be to exploit the unique properties of these new nanomaterials,”
says Roger Howe, EECS professor, COINS researcher, and member
of the COINS executive committee. New faculty and postdoctoral
fellows are being recruited, Howe explained, and an outreach component
will target the general public, students, and legislators to educate
them about potential applications of nanoscience—the study
and synthesis of tiny materials that are mere nanometers (one
billionth of a meter) in size.
Other engineering faculty involved include Paul Alivisatos of
chemistry and MSE; Jeffrey Bokor, Ronald Fearing, and Tsu-Jae
King of EECS; Luke Lee of BioE; Liwei Lin, Arunava Majumdar, and
Lydia Sohn of ME; and Ramamoorthy Ramesh of MSE and physics. Tom
Kalil, special assistant to the chancellor for science and technology,
had a leading role in developing Berkeley’s COINS proposal.
The NSF funded five other centers at Northeastern, Ohio State,
University of Pennsylvania, Stanford, and University of Wisconsin,
Madison, each of which focuses on a specific aspect of nanoscale
research. The six new centers complement eight existing centers,
bringing NSF 2004 funding for nanoscale research to $250 million.
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