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NSF and South CarolinaIn FY 2003, NSF provided 183 awards totaling approximately about $50 million to 25 institutions in the state of South Carolina as well as $107,000 in fellowships. Institutions in South Carolina that received NSF support in FY 2003 included the University of South Carolina, the Medical University of South Carolina, Columbia College, Coastal Carolina University, and Bedford Research, Inc. Examples of Projects Currently Funded by NSF in the State of South Carolina:Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers and Films — The vision of the Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers and Films at Clemson University is to provide an integrated environment for the system-oriented study of next generation fibers and films. The research program emphasizes the use of computation/visualization tools to overcome the barriers of experimental development, structure/property relationships, and control of structures. The investigations target liquid-crystalline systems, metallo-organic systems, and intractable polymer systems. The new processes will include supercritical solution processing, in situ processing, and self-assembly processing. The Center will produce software for new film and fiber formulation and will provide the students with a holistic education in fiber and film science and technology South Carolina Advanced Technological Education — Florence-Darlington Technical College and Piedmont Technical College are collaboratively serving as a national resource center for dissemination of educational materials, curricula, pedagogical practice, and recruitment strategies resulting from the highly successful South Carolina Advanced Technological Education Center of Excellence. As a national resource center this partnership serves as a highly visible resource for recruiting, nurturing, and teaching students at the beginning of the engineering technology educational pipeline, where most attrition occurs. The vision of this project is to serve as a national model and clearinghouse to increase the quantity, quality, and diversity of engineering technology graduates from two-year degree programs. Small Business Innovation Research — An NSF SBIR award to Advanced Photonic Crystals, LLC supports the development of ultra-high performance Nd: YVO4 laser crystals via a commercially viable hydrothermal process. Recent research has shown that crystal growth using a proprietary hydrothermal growth methods can produce low defect Nd: YVO4 in an aqueous base at ~ 500 microC. These crystals appear to have greatly superior optical properties. Such crystals will enable the development of new, higher efficiency, higher-performance, lower cost diode pumped solid-state lasers. Two novel hydrothermal synthetic pathways to the production of single crystal Nd: YVO4 will be developed and optimized to a commercially viable level. Research Experience for Undergraduates in Nanoscience — Twelve Furman University faculty will serve as mentors for ten students in a ten-week REU program each summer. Of these students, four to six will be from regional institutions with limited research opportunities and at least 50% will be from NSF-targeted demographic groups. The research focus of this program will be on nanoscience projects in one of three special areas: monolayers and surfaces, supramolecular structures, and DNA complexes. The program will monitor the number of REU students that pursue graduate degrees and the number of student co-authored publications in professional and peer reviewed journals. For more information on South Carolina and NSF, please contact the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs at 703-292-8070. Useful Links: South
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