Intellectual Merit

1
CCNY-NYU REU Science and Engineering of Soft
Materials and Interfaces (SESMI) Michael D. Ward,
New York University, DMR 0648788

• Fundamentals of soft materials and interfaces
• Colloidal assemblies
• Biomolecular scaffolds
• Crystallization
• Molecular monolayers
• Professional development exercises and
  skill-building activities
• Scientific writing and presentation
• Ethics of research and publication
• Team-building social activities
• Interdisciplinary chemistry, physics, chemical
  engineering, materials science

Rachel Ferguson (Marygrove), Kathryn Myers
(Pomona), and Mohammed Bader (Bowdoin) worked as
a team to launch a research program aimed at
understanding pathological biomineralization
related to kidney stone disease, specifically the
crystallization and adhesion of calcium oxalate
crystals at the surfaces of vesicles - confined
in dimensionally-matched microwells - designed to
mimic epithelial cell membranes in the kidney
where stone formation occurs. Though
health-related, this project relies on materials
science and engineering concepts, including
molecular and biomolecular engineering of
surfaces, nucleation, growth, aggregation,
solid-state structure, and adhesion at crystal
surfaces.
Intellectual Merit
http//surface.engr.ccny.cuny.edu/SESMI/
2
Michael D. Ward, New York University, DMR 0648788
Broader Impacts
Shafiqua Faust (Spelman) explaining complex
fluids at the end-of-year poster symposium
Field trip to Laborotorio di Gelato

• Participants from minority serving institutions
• - Chaminade, Marygrove,Spelman
• Integrated undergraduates affiliated with other
  programs (DMR Solid State Chemistry REU, NYU
  summer fellows, Stockholm undergraduates)
• Joint activities with Beckman and Hughes programs
• I learned a lot in this field, both in the
  theoretical aspects and laboratory techniques.
  Also, the REU activities were very enjoyable -
  Elad Firnberg, Cooper Union
• This summer was unlike anything I have
  experienced.
• - Porter Williams, Chaminade University

CCNY-NYU REU (SESMI)