Archive of Previous Talks
Upcoming Talks
Tuesday 17 December 2024
African Materials Research Society, Kigali, Rwanda, 16-18 December 2024
Mimicking Nature: Controlling Charge, Heat, and Spin at Interfaces
Paul S. Weiss, California NanoSystems Institute and Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
One of the key advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology has been our increasing ability to reach the limits of atomically precise structures. By having developed the “eyes” to see, to record spectra, and to measure function at the nanoscale, we have been able to fabricate structures with precision as well as to understand the important and intrinsic heterogeneity of function found in these assemblies. The physical, electronic, mechanical, thermal, and chemical connections that materials make to one another and to the outside world are critical. Just as the properties and applications of conventional semiconductor devices depend on these contacts, so do nanomaterials, many nanoscale measurements, and devices of the future. We explore the important roles that these contacts can play in preserving key transport and other properties. Initial nanoscale connections and measurements guide the path to future opportunities and challenges ahead. Band alignment, minimally disruptive connections, and control of spin and heat are all targets and can be characterized in both experiment and theory. I discuss our initial forays into this area in a number of materials systems.
Friday 28 February 2025, 130 PM
Geffen Academy, Los Angeles, CA
Mimicking Nanoscale Function in Nature
Paul S. Weiss, California NanoSystems Institute and Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Tuesday 18 March 2025
University of Houston, Department of Chemistry, Houston, TX
Mimicking Nature: Controlling Charge, Heat, and Spin at Interfaces
Paul S. Weiss, California NanoSystems Institute and Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Sunday 23 – Thursday 27 March 2025
American Chemical Society National Meeting, Global Virtual Symposium: Nanointerface Chemistry, 23 – 27 March 2025
Mimicking Nature: Controlling Charge, Heat, and Spin at Interfaces
Paul S. Weiss, California NanoSystems Institute and Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
One of the key advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology has been our increasing ability to reach the limits of atomically precise structures. By having developed the “eyes” to see, to record spectra, and to measure function at the nanoscale, we have been able to fabricate structures with precision as well as to understand the important and intrinsic heterogeneity of function found in these assemblies. The physical, electronic, mechanical, thermal, and chemical connections that materials make to one another and to the outside world are critical. Just as the properties and applications of conventional semiconductor devices depend on these contacts, so do nanomaterials, many nanoscale measurements, and devices of the future. We explore the important roles that these contacts can play in preserving key transport and other properties. Initial nanoscale connections and measurements guide the path to future opportunities and challenges ahead. Band alignment, minimally disruptive connections, and control of spin and heat are all targets and can be characterized in both experiment and theory. I discuss our initial forays into this area in a number of materials systems.
Sunday 23 – Thursday 27 March 2025
American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Diego, CA, Tom Mallouk 70th Birthday Symposium, 23 – 27 March 2025
Discovering and Leveraging Long-Range Interactions in Natural and Synthetic Molecular Assemblies
Paul S. Weiss, California NanoSystems Institute and Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
One of the key advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology has been our increasing ability to reach the limits of atomically precise structures. By having developed the “eyes” to see, to record spectra, and to measure function at the nanoscale, we have been able to fabricate structures with precision as well as to understand the important and intrinsic interactions in these assemblies. By being able to peer below the exposed surface, we have discovered surprising and significant interactions that result in long-range ordering, surface passivation, and impact on surface chemistry. We explore the roles of these interactions and how they might be leveraged to advantage in chemistry, materials, and devices.
Sunday 23 – Thursday 27 March 2025
American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Diego, CA, Steve Stranick Memorial Symposium, 23 – 27 March 2025
Nanoscale Chemical Imaging – The Legacy of Dr. Stephan Stranick
Paul S. Weiss, California NanoSystems Institute and Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
As a PhD student and as part of his extraordinary thesis work, Dr. Stephan Stranick invented and developed atomic-scale spectroscopic imaging methods to expand the systems that could be studied with scanning probe microscopies and spectroscopies. His work continued in his independent career as well as in our laboratory. We are now able to measure structure, function, and spectra simultaneously. I discuss examples at the ultimate limits of miniaturization of switches and motors based in multiple ways on Stranick’s early work in both microscopy and self-assembly, in biomolecular assemblies, and in measuring exposed and buried interactions and motion, all with extraordinary precision. By combining these spectroscopic imaging methods with ideas and methods from sparsity, we have been able to acquire statistically significant distributions of data that enable us to resolve and to understand heterogeneous structure, function, and mechanisms of molecules, materials, and assemblies at the nanoscale. The heterogeneity that we observe is a key feature that is present even for atomically precise structures. Stephan Stranick’s legacy is that the advances that he launched and led are opening the nanoscale world for understanding and control.
Sunday 23 – Thursday 27 March 2025
American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Diego, CA, PMSE: Polymer-Derived Self- and Directed Assembly of Nanoparticles: Unprecedented Functionalities Stemming from Their Collective Synergetic Properties, 23 – 27 March 2025
Cage Molecule Self-Assembly and Atomically Precise Cluster Assemblies
Paul S. Weiss, California NanoSystems Institute and Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Self-assembled cage molecules offer opportunities to test chemical, physical, and materials properties because within families of molecules, they form identical lattices. Thus, properties such as atomic arrangements within the cage, molecular and surface dipoles, band alignment, and functional group placement can all be controlled. We describe atomic-scale measurements of coordination and valency, dipole-dipole interactions, hydrogen bonding, band alignment, dimensional effects on pKa, thermal conductivity, and spin. We demonstrate how modest electric fields can be used to produce dramatic shifts in electronic, thermal, and spin properties using polyaromatic and thus highly polarizable atomically precise clusters. We discuss how this level of control might be used to advantage technologically and how it relates to conduction in nature.
Thursday 27 March 2025
Hamline University, 3M/Ronald A. Mitsch Lectures in Chemistry, St. Paul, MN
Mimicking Nature: Controlling Charge, Heat, and Spin at Interfaces
Paul S. Weiss, California NanoSystems Institute and Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
One of the key advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology has been our increasing ability to reach the limits of atomically precise structures. By having developed the “eyes” to see, to record spectra, and to measure function at the nanoscale, we have been able to fabricate structures with precision as well as to understand the important and intrinsic heterogeneity of function found in these assemblies. The physical, electronic, mechanical, thermal, and chemical connections that materials make to one another and to the outside world are critical. Just as the properties and applications of conventional semiconductor devices depend on these contacts, so do nanomaterials, many nanoscale measurements, and devices of the future. We explore the important roles that these contacts can play in preserving key transport and other properties. Initial nanoscale connections and measurements guide the path to future opportunities and challenges ahead. Band alignment, minimally disruptive connections, and control of spin and heat are all targets and can be characterized in both experiment and theory. I discuss our initial forays into this area in a number of materials systems.
Friday 28 March 2025
Hamline University, 3M/Ronald A. Mitsch Lectures in Chemistry, Public Lecture, St. Paul, MN
From Moving Atoms to Medicine: Exploring the Nanoscale World
Paul S. Weiss, California NanoSystems Institute and Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Biology functions at the nanoscale. Thus, there are special opportunities not only to make biological measurements using nanotechnology, but also to interact directly in order to influence biological outcomes. I describe how we fabricate and use nanostructures to advance high-throughput gene editing for cellular therapies targeting genetic diseases and cancer immunotherapy. We exploit molecular recognition and phase transitions to create molecular treadmills to grow three-dimensional co-cultured tissue efficiently for personalized medicine, testing potential therapeutics, and growing meat and fish sustainably. Nanoscience and nanotechnology developed from chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, medicine, toxicology, and a host of other fields. Along the way, we taught each other our problems, challenges, and approaches. The interdisciplinary communication skills that were developed and are now part of our training remain unique to the field. As a result, nanoscience contributes to a wide range of other fields, such as neuroscience, the microbiome, oncology, cellular agriculture, and more.
Monday 7 – Friday 11 April 2025
Materials Research Society National Meeting, Seattle WA, Symposium on Protons in Solids, Fluids, and Molecules, 7 – 11 April 2025
Measuring and Leveraging Local Structures in Materials for Hydrogen Storage and Reactions
Paul S. Weiss, California NanoSystems Institute and Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
We measure the local structure in materials, such as Pd and MXenes, that have been proposed for hydrogen storage, usage, and reactions. The specific interactions at and near vacancies, adsorbates, and defects can vary substantially from the pristine material. By using combinations of scanning probe microscopies and spectroscopies, closely coupled to theory, we are able to determine local electronic and structural effects, as we build a comprehensive picture of how to optimize these materials for hydrogen storage and other chemistries.
Monday 28 April 2025
Tulane University, Department of Chemistry, New Orleans, LA
Mimicking Nature: Controlling Charge, Heat, and Spin at Interfaces
Paul S. Weiss, California NanoSystems Institute and Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Sunday 3 – Thursday 8 August 2025
Gordon Research Conference on Electron Spin Interactions with Chiral Molecules and Materials, Southern New Hampshire University, Hooksett, NH, 3-8 August 2025
Mimicking Nature: Controlling Charge, Heat, and Spin
Paul S. Weiss, California NanoSystems Institute and Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Monday 8 – Friday 12 August 2025
3rd International Conference on Nanotechnologies and Bionanoscience, Heraklion, Crete, Greece, 8-12 September 2025
TBA
Paul S. Weiss, California NanoSystems Institute and Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Monday 9 – Wednesday 11 March 2026
nano.Israel, Tel Aviv, Israel, 9 – 11 March 2025
Understanding and Controlling Charge, Heat, and Spin at Atomically Precise Interfaces
Paul S. Weiss, California NanoSystems Institute and Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Postponed/To Be Determined
MIT.nano
TBD
Paul S. Weiss, California NanoSystems Institute and Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095
Other Upcoming Meetings of Interest
American Chemical Society and Affiliated Meetings — the Next 10 Years
American Physical Society and Affiliated Meetings this year or future years, the main (March) meeting is in March (surprise!) each year.
American Vacuum Society National Symposium is in October or November each year.
AVS-related Meetings
Biophysical Society Annual Meeting is in February every year.
Faraday Discussions of the Chemical Society
The Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies (FACSS) Meeting
Foundations of Nanoscience Meetings are held in Snowbird, Utah every April.
Materials Research Society Meetings
Physical Electronics Conference
58th Annual Physical Electronics Conference held in 1998 at Penn State.
PittCon Meetings
PittCon
Scientific Programme at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy.
Engineering Foundation Conferences
Chemical and Engineering News‘ List of Meetings
American Physical Society‘s List of Meetings
European Physics Society‘s List of Meetings
Materials Research Society‘s List of Meetings