Ann Silversmith, professor of physics, has been awarded funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the acquisition of equipment for "Thermal and Optical Studies of Sol-gel Materials Containing Rare Earth Ions." Silversmith applied for the grant with Daniel Boye, professor of physics at Davidson College. According to their proposal, the project will be a "continuation of the fruitful interdisciplinary (physics and chemistry) collaborations between Davidson and Hamilton colleges in a study of the optical properties of doped sol-gel materials."
Silversmith said the project provides "an ideal setting for mentoring undergraduates in experimental research…students contribute in meaningful ways to all aspects of the work including materials synthesis, spectroscopic analysis and characterization." The NSF-funding will be used to purchase a thermal analyzer and an image-intensified CCD. These instruments are not only essential to this project but will allow for future lines of inquiry.
According to the NSF's Web site, the foundation funds education, projects and experimentation in science and engineering. More than 2,000 colleges, universities and other educational groups in the United States receive funding from the NSF through grants, contracts and cooperative agreements.
