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MATERIALS CHEMISTRY: AN EMERGING DISCIPLINE
Funding Opportunities for Materials Science Education C. T. Sears and S. H. Hixson
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National Science Foundation, Washington, DC 20550
SUPPORT F O R T H E D E V E L O P M E N T A N D IMPLEMENTATION of new courses and laboratories in materials science is available through National Science Foundation programs in both the Division of Undergraduate Education and the Division of Materials Research. The Division of Undergraduate Education has separate programs targeting laboratory, curriculum, and faculty. The Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement (ILI) Program aids in the purchase of laboratory equipment for use in undergraduate laboratories at all levels. Annual funding has been $23 million for the past 5 years and is anticipated to remain at this level for the near future. Typically, 2300 proposals are received, resulting in approximately 600 awards per year. ILI has two components: The major one accepts proposals for equipment only; the other,, known as Leadership in Laboratory Development, seeks to support the development of exemplary national models for laboratory curricula by providing funds for personnel and supplies as well as for equipment. Five percent of the ILI budget is devoted to Leadership projects, and preliminary proposals are required. A 50% institutional match for equipment costs is necessary for all ILI proposals. The maximum allowable request from NSF is $100,000. In the 1992 competition, 60 proposals to initiate or improve materials science laboratories were received; 15 were from departments of chemistry, the remainder from engineering units. The Undergraduate Course and Curriculum (UCC) Program focuses on the development of introductory courses for both science and nonscience majors. Eligible activities include the production of textbooks, lecture modules, software, and other media materials and the pursuit of alternate teaching strategies. The program is funded at $18 million for fiscal year 1992. Typical awards are for 2 years with annual budgets in the range of $75,000-$150,000. Two materials science projects supported by U C C are (1) "Development of a Materials-Oriented General Chemistry Course," under the direction of A. B. Ellis; and (2) "Development of Instructional Materials in Polymer Chemistry for General and Organic
Interrante et al.; Materials Chemistry Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1995.
Downloaded by FUDAN UNIV on January 26, 2017 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: May 5, 1995 | doi: 10.1021/ba-1995-0245.ch008
Educational Issues
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Chemistry Courses," under the direction of J. P. Droske. These projects are described elsewhere in this chapter. Short courses and workshops for college faculty primarily engaged in undergraduate instruction are supported under the Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement (UFE) Program. The purpose of the program is to ensure the vitality of the teaching faculty by assisting them in learning new ideas and techniques in their fields and using the knowledge gained to improve undergraduate instruction. Several short courses devoted to the study of polymers have been sponsored by the program during the past several years. Proposals for the development of more broadly based materials science workshops suitable for chemistry faculty are encouraged. The Division of Materials Research launched the Undergraduate Materials Education Initiative during the spring of 1992 with a closing date of May 15. The goal of the Initiative is the development of advanced undergraduate courses, including laboratories, in materials synthesis and processing. The courses should focus on fundamental principles, modeling and simulation, characterization, and property evaluation. Subject to the availability of funds, the Foundation expects to make 7-11 3-year awards with annual budgets of $150,000.
Interrante et al.; Materials Chemistry Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1995.
