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UW receives millions in renewed grant

A University of Wisconsin research center received a large sum of money for small-scale technology research Monday. The Materials Research Science and Engineering Center — devoted to nanotechnology education and development — successfully renewed its grant with the National Science Foundation after undergoing nearly a year of mandatory application protocols, receiving an additional $14.8 million in funding.

Director of the center, Juan de Pablo, said that, given the fact the grant is the group's primary source of funding, the award has "tremendous" significance to the continuance of its research.

"The fact that we are able to receive this grant speaks very highly of the [center]," Pablo said. "In the end, it leads to better science, better breakthroughs and better research for our students."

Pablo added much of the funding will go to supporting a larger staff and advancing the center's research to "a new level."

"Almost all of the projects … are completely new," he said. "This is really going to take us to new places."

To receive the grant, Pablo and center researchers had to file a pre-proposal nearly a year ago and, after more processes, travel to Washington, D.C., to plead their eligibility for the grant.

"This was a pretty long process," Pablo said, adding NSF grants are awarded only every six years.

Director of education for the center, Wendy Crone, said that without the grant, nanotechnology education and research on a whole would be hindered.

"Basically, the grant is the center," she said. "The University of Wisconsin will be able to advance the understanding of nanotechnology as a whole and also enhance the general public's understanding."

Crone added the nanotechnology research underway at UW is truly unique.

"Many universities would like to have a center like this," she said. "But UW is really poised for something like this because of the [other] research on nanotechnology."

Among other projects at the center, Pablo said he and his colleagues are working on an "organic/inorganic interface" nanotechnology application that could result in digitally displayed newspapers or media as thin sheets of paper.

But accidents can happen, Pablo said, and sometimes lead to something even more exciting.

"Who knows? You could get a better and faster thing," he said.

And without the grant, none of the center's developments would or could be possible.

"The grant is going to allow us to explore these new areas of science and engineering," Pablo said, adding many new center explorations are high risk but have a "high potential for pay off."

With such high stakes surrounding the grant, Crone admitted the process was a little nerve racking.

"I was cautiously optimistic," Crone said. "I was pretty positive about it, but it's pretty competitive, so it's never a done deal until you actually have the money."

She added a large portion of the grant money goes to education efforts such as displays, exhibits and course materials for UW and other universities.