The first international Advances in Functional Materials (AFM) Conference at Stony Brook University brought together 400 scientists, engineers, educators and students from all over the world to share their findings, exchange cutting-edge ideas and applications, and find global partners for collaboration in the field of functional materials. The conference was held at the Student Activities Center from June 29 through July 3.
Tae Jin Kim, assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Stony Brook, organized the event. “This was a great opportunity to introduce the University to new international scientists, many of whom are very interested in our research capabilities and future collaboration with our faculty,” he said.
The conference focused on several key topics in the field of functional materials: multifunctional composite materials; thin films; polymers and ceramics; energy storage and conversion devices; biosensors and biomaterials; catalysis; and low-dimensional, nano and 2D materials. Conference organizers received 1,200 abstracts from 75 countries and accepted 400 oral and poster presentations from 30 countries. Selected conference papers will be published in Materials Today: Proceedings at the end of August.
Stony Brook University Provost Dennis N. Assanis welcomed attendees at the conference on July 1. “Stony Brook University strives to bring senior and junior scientists, faculty, and students together,” he said. “Our goals are to foster a network for future research collaboration; to understand past, current and future functional materials research; to share current research topics and results; and to give a strong research motivation to young and early career scientists.”
The two plenary speakers were Alan J. Heeger, recipient of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery and development of conductive polymers, and Robert Howard Grubbs, recipient of the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work in the field of olefin metathesis.
Fifteen keynote speakers presented their latest research in the field of functional materials, including four Stony Brook faculty members: Miriam Rafailovich, director of the Garcia Materials Research Science and Engineering Center; Stanislaus S. Wong, professor in the Department of Chemistry; Perena Gouma, director of the Center for Nanomaterials and Sensor Development; and Distinguished Professor Esther Takeuchi, also a chief scientist at Brookhaven National Lab.
Each year the conference will be held on a different continent.
— Lynne Roth
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