1. NUSNNI's visit to UCSB

On 19-21 April 2004, our Singapore delegation visited the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) for a joint Singapore-UCSB workshop. This workshop was co-organized by NUS Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative (NUSNNI, Singapore), Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE, Singapore), Materials Research Laboratory (MRL, UCSB), California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI, UCSB/UCLA) and Biomolecular Science and Engineering (BMSE, UCSB). This workshop aims to bring Singapore and UCSB researchers together to exchange research ideas and results, and explore the opportunities for collaboration. The scope of the workshop covered the fields of nanotechnology and advanced materials, including nanostructures and nanomaterials, self-assembly approaches, biomaterials and bionanotechnology, sensors and nanoscale devices, and so on.  

The workshop began in the morning of 19 April with overviews of programmes at NUSNNI, IMRE, MRL, CNSI and BMSE, respectively. This was followed by the scientific/technical sessions with oral and poster presentations from Singapore and UCSB participants. During this workshop, Prof. Seeram and Prof. Wee, co-directors of NUSNNI, discussed with Prof Morse, the UCSB organizer, on possible follow-up modes of collaboration. It was agreed that such person-to-person contact was important in initiating collaboration, but funding should also be made available to catalyse NUS-UCSB joint projects. Both sides agreed to bring this matter up to their respective universities and other funding bodies, in particular the defense agencies.

We also visited the research facilities at MRL and other laboratories during the workshop. In the closing reception, Dr, Henry Yang, Chancellor of UCSB, expressed strong interest in establishing collaborations between UCSB and Singapore.

2. NUSNNI's visit to University of Irvine

Following the workshop at UCSB, the Singapore delegation visited University of California, Irvine (UCI) on 22 April 2004. A mini-symposium was held between Singapore and UCI participants. In the morning session, speakers presented overviews of pragrammes at UCI and NUSNNI. The Singapore delegation then visited Beckman Laser Institute. In the afternoon, Professor Wilson Ho at Chem. Dept, UCI gave a special presentation on his pioneering work of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) based manipulation and characterization of single atoms and molecules. We then had a tour around Prof. Ho’s nanoscience laboratories, and were impressed by his sophisticated, home-built low-temperature STM systems. We also paid a visit to the Integrated Nanosystems Research Facilities (INRF) at UCI. We participated group sessions focusing on nanoscience and nanoengineering organized by UCI. In the group sessions, the researchers from UCI introduced their nano-related research, and participants of Singapore and UCI sides had fruitful discussion on their results and possible collaboration. Prof Albert Yee, Director of Cal (IT)2 and organizer of this visit, expressed the desire of his UCI colleagues to explore further collaborations with Singapore.

Text Box: Prof. Wee (left), Co-director, NUSNNI, discussing with UCSB Professors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Prof. Dan Morse, UCSB, welcoming Singapore delegation.

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Prof. Seeram (right), Co-director, NUSNNI, talking with Prof. Dan Morse (middle), UCSB and Prof Chua (left), IMRE.

 

Text Box: Prof. Seeram presenting overview of programmes at NUSNNI.

 

 

Text Box: Prof. Chua presenting overview of  programmes at IMRE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Prof. Evelyn Hu presenting overview of programmes at CNSI.

 

 

 

Text Box: Prof. Fredrickson presenting overview of programmes at MRL, UCSB.

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Prof. C.N.R. Rao, CSIR, answering question from the audience. Text Box: Prof. J. Ding, NUSNNI, introducing his work on magnetic nano thin films.

 

Text Box: A photo of Singapore delegation taken at the Engineering Building, UCSB.

 

Text Box: Lab tour to MRL, UCSB.

 

 

Text Box: Prof. P. Pincus presenting overview of programmes at BMSE, UCSB.

 

Text Box: Prof. Y.H. Wu, DSI & NUS, introducing his recent work on carbon nanowalls.

 

Text Box: Prof. M. Tirrell, UCSB, presenting his work on DNA binding.  Text Box: NUSNNI and UCSB  participants interacting at the symposium banquet. Text Box: NUSNNI and UCSB  participants interacting at the symposium banquet.

 

Text Box: Interaction and discussion between Singapore and UCSB participants. Text Box: Prof. Henty Yang, Chancellor, UCSB, expressing strong interests in collaboration with Singapore. < back Text Box: A tour to Beckman Laser Institute, UCI. Text Box: Prof. Bill Parker, Vice Chancellor, UCI, welcoming Singapore delegation to University of California, Irvine (UCI). Text Box: Prof. Albet Yee giving an overview of programmes at Cal-(IT)2, UCI. Text Box: Prof. Seeram giving an overview of programmes at NUSNNI. Text Box: Prof. R. Penner, UCI, presenting his research on nanostructure formation. Text Box: Interaction and discussion between Singapore and UCI participants during dinner. Text Box: A photo of Singapore and UCI participants taken at Thaifoon’s Fashion Island. Text Box: Presentation and discussion between Singapore and UCI researchers at the smaller group sessions. Text Box: Prof. Wilson Ho, UCI, giving a special presentation on his nanoscience  research.

Text Box: A tour to Beckman Laser Institute, UCI.

 

                                                                  


 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                         

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Text Box: Lab tour to marine science laboratory, UCSB. Text Box: Greeting from Prof. Alan Heeger, Nobel prize laureate, at the symposium banquet.