{"441731":{"#nid":"441731","#data":{"type":"news","title":"NSF Sustainable Nanotechnology Center Includes Georgia Tech Researchers","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech is among a dozen institutions that are part of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/susnano.chem.wisc.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Sustainable Nanotechnology\u003C\/a\u003E, a $20 million research center focusing on the molecular mechanisms by which nanoparticles interact with biological systems. Based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the center has been awarded an additional five years of funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to expand its existing operations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENanotechnology involves the use of materials at the smallest scale, including the manipulation of individual atoms and molecules. Products that use nanoscale materials range from beer bottles and car wax to solar cells and electric and hybrid car batteries. If you read your books on a Kindle, quantum dots, a semiconducting material manufactured at the nanoscale, underpin the high-resolution screen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd while there are already hundreds of products that use nanomaterials in various ways, there are still lots of unknowns about how these modern materials and the tiny particles they are composed of interact with the environment and living things.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe purpose of the center is to explore how we can make sure these nanotechnologies come to fruition with little or no environmental impact,\u201d explained Robert Hamers, director of the center and a professor of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin Madison. \u201cWe\u2019re looking at nanoparticles in emerging technologies.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to UW-Madison, scientists from UW-Milwaukee, the University of Minnesota, the University of Illinois, Northwestern University and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have been involved in the center\u2019s first phase of research. Joining the center for the next five-year phase are Tuskegee University, the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Iowa, Augsburg College, and the Georgia Institute of Technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s contributions will be in the areas of theoretical computational chemistry and assessment of the center\u2019s overall impact. \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/Hernandez\/Rigoberto\u0022\u003ERigoberto Hernandez\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E, will contribute expertise on how particles aggregate, assemble and interact with one another to create larger structures. \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ceismc.gatech.edu\/about\/staffdirectory\/dr-lizanne-destefano\u0022\u003ELizanne DeStefano\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the Georgia Tech School of Psychology and director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ceismc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing\u003C\/a\u003E (CEISMC) at Georgia Tech, will help assess the center\u2019s impacts, both internally and externally, for students and other key stakeholders.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne of our mandates is to develop a systematic approach for using theoretical and computational tools to select different nanomaterials or modifications of nanomaterials to meet desired properties,\u201d said Hernandez. \u201cWe will help understand the multi-scale problem, which includes understanding the chemical properties at the size scale from a few Angstroms \u2013 where you can literally see atoms within molecules \u2013 all the way to the meter scale where you must address the behavior of an entire organism.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of three theoretical and computational chemists who will be part of the center\u2019s second phase, Hernandez is looking toward development of a computational framework for modifying nanomaterials and predicting the extent to which they would provide a targeted function or behavior. An example of such a function might be energy conversion and related transformations necessary in future generations of fuel cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile the research impact of the center is important, its most long term impact will involve training the next generation of scientists and researchers who will take leadership roles in industry and academe,\u201d said DeStefano. \u201cWe want to create innovative educational programs at undergraduate and graduate levels that integrate theory and computation and produce students with broader technical skill sets and a deep understanding of nanoparticles. The goal is to impact education at Georgia Tech and all partner institutions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to Hernandez and DeStefano, center efforts at Georgia Tech will also involve at least two graduate students and one postdoctoral fellow.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt UW-Madison, Hamers leads efforts in synthesis and molecular characterization of nanomaterials. Much remains to be learned about how nanoparticles affect the environment and the multitude of organisms \u2013 from bacteria to plants, animals and people \u2013 that may be exposed to them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSome of the big questions we\u2019re asking,\u201d said Hamers, \u201care how is this going to impact bacteria and other organisms in the environment? What do these particles do? How do they interact with organisms?\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor instance, bacteria, the vast majority of which are beneficial or benign, tend to be \u201csticky\u201d and nanoparticles might cling to the microorganisms and have unintended biological effects.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere are many different mechanisms by which these particles can do things,\u201d Hamers added. \u201cThe challenge is we don\u2019t know what these nanoparticles do if they\u0027re released into the environment.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo get at the challenge, Hamers and his colleagues in the center are drilling down to investigate the molecular-level chemical and physical principles that dictate how nanoparticles interact with living things. Such studies, argues Hamers, promise a science-based understanding that can help ensure the technology leaves a minimal environmental footprint by identifying issues before they manifest themselves in the manufacturing, use or recycling of products that contain nanotechnology-inspired materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo help fulfill that part of the mission, the center has established working relationships with several companies to conduct research on materials in the very early stages of development.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re taking a look-ahead view. We\u2019re trying to get into the technological design cycle,\u201d Hamers said. \u201cThe idea is to use scientific understanding to develop a predictive ability to guide technology and guide people who are designing and using these materials.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHernandez believes that the 21st century may be known as the \u201cnanoparticle age\u201d in the same way that last century was the \u201cindustrial age.\u201d The challenge ahead, he says, is to avoid unexpected effects from these new materials and structures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn this century, there is little doubt that nanoparticles comprise a class of chemical compounds that are revolutionizing nearly everything that we touch, see or smell,\u201d he said in a blog post at (\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/EveryWhereChemistry.blogspot.com\u0022\u003EEveryWhereChemistry.blogspot.com\u003C\/a\u003E). \u201cThe challenge to chemists (and material scientists) is not just designing nanoparticles to solve particular problems, but to do so with materials that have no unintended consequences. Anticipating such unknown unknowns is a grand challenge, and the solution requires a team of scientists with expertise in making, measuring and modeling the nanoparticles in the upstream design side and in biology and ecology on the downstream side.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia 30332-0181 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon Georgia Tech: (404-894-6986) or (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E); Terry Devitt, University of Wisconsin Madison: (608-262-8282) or (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:trdevitt@wisc.edu\u0022\u003Etrdevitt@wisc.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech is among a dozen institutions that are part of the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology, a $20 million research center focusing on the molecular mechanisms by which nanoparticles interact with biological systems. Based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the center has been awarded an additional five years of funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to expand its existing operations.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech is among a dozen institutions that are part of the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology, a $20 million research center."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2015-08-30 09:22:30","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:19:26","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-08-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-08-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"441701":{"id":"441701","type":"image","title":"Sustainable nanotechnology researchers","body":null,"created":"1449256190","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:09:50","changed":"1475895179","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:59","alt":"Sustainable nanotechnology researchers","file":{"fid":"203091","name":"sustainable-nanotech-001.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sustainable-nanotech-001_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sustainable-nanotech-001_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2621460,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sustainable-nanotech-001_0.jpg?itok=IHKsUjUO"}},"441711":{"id":"441711","type":"image","title":"Prof. Rigoberto Hernandez","body":null,"created":"1449256190","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:09:50","changed":"1475895179","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:59","alt":"Prof. Rigoberto Hernandez","file":{"fid":"203092","name":"sustainable-nanotech-013.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sustainable-nanotech-013_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sustainable-nanotech-013_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2004909,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sustainable-nanotech-013_0.jpg?itok=vwh0rXYP"}},"441721":{"id":"441721","type":"image","title":"Prof. Lizanne DeStefano","body":null,"created":"1449256190","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:09:50","changed":"1475895179","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:59","alt":"Prof. Lizanne DeStefano","file":{"fid":"203093","name":"destefano_0232.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/destefano_0232_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/destefano_0232_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":6104294,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/destefano_0232_0.jpg?itok=Rvuf5pUO"}}},"media_ids":["441701","441711","441721"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"411","name":"CEISMC"},{"id":"89","name":"chemistry"},{"id":"139801","name":"Lizanne DeStefano"},{"id":"107","name":"Nanotechnology"},{"id":"363","name":"NSF"},{"id":"15143","name":"Rigoberto Hernandez"},{"id":"166890","name":"sustainability"},{"id":"167052","name":"sustainable"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}