Workshop: Student Support For Student Participation In The 2010 North American Membrane Society Annual Meeting In Washington, D.C., July 17-22, 2010.

<p>This proposal requests funding to increase participation by U.S. graduate students at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the North American Membrane Society (NAMS/ICIM2010). The meeting will be a first ever combined meeting of the North American Membrane Society (NAMS) and the International Conference on Inorganic Membranes (ICIM). The meeting theme will be: Membranes: Enabling a Sustainable Future. The funding will be used to provide partial registration and travel support for graduate students participating in the conference. The goal is to encourage student participation at the largest meeting in North America of membrane scientists and engineers from academia, industry and government; students supported by NSF will present their research at the conference. The international nature of the meeting will enable students to interact not only with scientists and engineers from North America but also with those from Europe and Asia. The meeting will provide students with expanded opportunities to attend presentations and poster sessions to learn about the latest developments in membrane science and engineering. The NAMS/ICIM2010 meeting will consist of 40 technical sessions covering all aspects of membrane science, engineering and technology that support applications in the chemical, petrochemical, biofuels, food processing and packaging, and medical and biotechnology industries. The meeting will feature two world class plenary lectures that will address the role of membranes in water and energy sustainability as well as a special session, Membranes for a Sustainable World. In addition, the Journal of Membrane Science plans to publish a special edition tentatively entitled, Membrane Science for a Sustainable Future, in conjunction with NAMS/ICIM 2010. This special edition will offer students a unique opportunity to publish their meeting-presented research in the foremost peer reviewed membrane journal. NSF support would enable students to learn about the latest discoveries in membrane science and engineering, and meet researchers and colleagues from academia, industry and government. This unique networking opportunity would greatly benefit their research as well as facilitate their career development in the membrane area. The proposed meeting sponsorship would increase the number of U.S. graduate students who are able to attend NAMS/ICIM2010. In addition to the 40 technical and two poster sessions, an extensive student program will be organized to advance the professional development of the next generation of membrane researchers. Four workshops will provide students with intensive training in fundamental and developing areas of membrane science and engineering. NSF funding will provide partial travel support for 20 U.S. graduate students to attend this meeting, and will be available to students of all genders, ethnicities, and geographic regions. Applications received from students with disabilities will be encouraged. Student participation at the meeting will enhance the infrastructure for research providing students the opportunity to meet leading scientists and engineers in membrane science and technology, network with students and faculty from other national and international research groups with similar interests, and interact with potential employers. In addition to the extensive technical content, activities related to the meeting theme, Membranes: Enabling a Sustainable Future, address issues of significant societal benefit. Moreover, the meeting will support the continuing education of young membrane scientists and engineers and thus will encourage the development of a new generation of leadership. Such leadership will help to maintain and increase the position of the U.S. in the development of membranes for sustainable technologies, an area of growing global emphasis.</p>