2024 NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NSE) Grantees Conference; Alexandria, Virginia; 9-10 December 2024

This grant provides support for the planning, organizing and managing of the annual 2024 NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NSE) Grantees Conference to be held in Alexandria, Virginia, 9-10 December 2024. The NSE conference serves as a program review and research networking meeting that highlights ongoing research and educational activities in NSF’s nanotechnology science and engineering programs.

The main theme of this conference is ‘Nanotechnology AI Convergence’, which is an integral part of NSF’s nanotechnology-related research programs such as ones that involve electronics, chemistry, physics, biology, environment, manufacturing, computer science, etc. The conference provides attendees, particularly women and under-represented minorities, especially, students, with unique opportunities to network with and learn from other researchers.

The conference provides a forum for interdisciplinary collaborations in diverse nanotechnology fields. It presents and discusses the role nanotechnology and AI play in NSF and OSTP priority areas and National grand challenges, e.g., quantum information science, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, advanced wireless, bioengineering, others.

This award benefits the Nation through the education and training of a skilled and diverse science and engineering workforce, which is better prepared to provide transformative solutions to the challenges in their chosen fields. This conference is supported by the NNI Special Initiative, Advanced Manufacturing, and Nanoscale Interactions programs.

The conference discusses two general topics in the context of nanotechnology and AI convergence: (1) Nano-AI Convergence for Advancements in Fundamental Research and (2) Nano-AI Convergence for Grand Challenges. Each general topic is made up of several special topics. These are Nano-AI convergence: Challenges and Opportunities; AI for Nanomaterials Discovery; AI for Nanodevice Design; AI for Nanosystems Optimization; AI for Nanomanufacturing; Nano-AI Convergence for Sustainability; Nano-AI Convergence for Biology and Nanomedicine; Nano-AI Education, Ethics, and Safety; Nano-AI Convergence: Infrastructure and Data Sharing.

Additional topics involve a discussion on Nanotechnology Centers and Nanotechnology Education, and poster presentations by NSF principal investigators and other Federal Agencies. The conference discusses past achievements and accomplishments in nanotechnology and AI convergence, identifies research gaps that are preventing novel ideas from moving forward, and determines opportunities for future research.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.