Purdue receives $18M nanotechnology grant

Purdue University has received an $18.2 million grant to support U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative computer simulations.

Purdue's Network for Computational Nanotechnology was awarded the five-year grant by the National Science Foundation to support the initiative with expanded capabilities and services.

The network was launched in 2002 with $10.5 million from the NSF to develop sophisticated, high-powered computational tools that allow scientists to advance nano-related research by using desktop computers.

"This additional funding will help us expand these sophisticated computational tools to researchers, educators and even industry," said network Director Mark Lundstrom. "With the help of our five partner universities, we are growing beyond our roots in nanoelectronics to new areas such as nanofluidics, nanomedicine, nanophotonics and applications of nanoscience to the environment, energy, the life sciences and homeland security."

The project is based in Purdue's Discovery Park and includes partners at the University of California-Berkeley, the Molecular Foundry at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the University of Illinois, Norfolk State University, Northwestern University and the University of Texas-El Paso.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International