Eric Cochran, an associate scientist at the U.S.
Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory, has received a National Science
Foundation CAREER award, the organization's most prestigious award for
junior researchers.
The NSF CAREER award recognizes researchers who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars
through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education
and research. The five-year, $475,000 award will support Cochran's research
work in Iowa State University's chemical and biological engineering department.
Cochran will explore a new class of self-organizing block copolymer nanocomposites
based on polymer-tethered clays.
“I am excited and honored that the NSF has chosen to support this research
through the CAREER award,” said Cochran. “This is an important opportunity
to explore a unique system of materials with potential for enormous impact in
the field of polymer physics. Through this grant, I will also be better able
to share my enthusiasm for research with teachers and students throughout Iowa.”
At Ames Laboratory, Cochran is part of an interdisciplinary research team that
is integrating polymers and nanoscale particles to create self-assembling materials
for use in solar cells and hydrogen fuel cells. The work is funded by Ames Laboratory's
seed funding program, which supports new interdisciplinary collaborations between
Ames Lab scientists and junior researchers at Iowa State University.
Cochran, who is an ISU assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering,
earned a doctoral degree in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota
in 2004. While at the University of Minnesota, he received a graduate research
fellowship from the National Science Foundation. In 2006 he was selected for
the ISU Camille and Henry Dreyfus New Faculty Award, and in 2004 he received
the Frank J. Padden Jr. Award for Excellence in Polymer Physics from the American
Physical Society.
Ames Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory
operated for the DOE by Iowa State University. Ames Laboratory creates innovative
materials, technologies and energy solutions. We use our expertise, unique capabilities
and interdisciplinary collaborations to solve global challenges.
Posted August 4th, 2009
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