Alfred University awarded $480,000 grant from National Science Foundation

Funding for the four-year project— titled “RUI: Examining the Discrepancy Between Stress and Enthalpy Relaxation in Borosilicate Glasses: An Experimental and Numerical Study”—was 联合国周四宣布.S. 代表. 尼克Langworthy. 研究将会是 由科林·威尔金森领导, assistant professor of glass science in Alfred University’s Inamori School of Engineering.

“Alfred University is a leader in advanced scientific research and I am proud to advocate for their work that can ensure America is at the forefront of innovation,” Langworthy声明. “This significant grant will invest in the next generation of Southern Tier scientists and engineers. The discoveries made through this funding will lead to consequential academic and industry advancements.”

The project seeks to uncover the origins of glass relaxation through a joint experimental and simulation-based approach.  Work on the project will leverage Alfred University’s unique expertise in high-temperature measurements to evaluate the rate of relaxation for a range of different glass materials. The findings from these experiments will be reinforced by atomistic simulations—looking at how individual atoms interact with each other over time— to better understand structural origins. 

“Glass relaxation is the process of glass, 不稳定的物质, 试图达到稳定,威尔金森解释道. “This process has been investigated for a long time but remains largely a mystery.  先进的眼镜, 然而, make up the backbone of our digital infrastructure, which are strongly influenced by relaxation, 因此，这项工作的重要性.” 

The work will seek to better predict the mechanical strength, optical transparency and density of technical glass used in many of the advanced devices businesses and consumers use every day. Understanding these properties is critical for high-tech applications such as optical fiber, 显示材料, and emerging solid-state electrolytes used in new energy storage devices. 

本科 and graduate engineering students will play a key role in the research, using experience they have gained through participation in the Inamori School’s 本科 夏天 研究 Institute, an initiative launched by Wilkinson last summer. The institute “provides undergraduate and graduate students with summer opportunities to work with 教师 on some pretty complex materials-science based challenges,Gabrielle gastad说, dean of the Inamori School of Engineering and associate provost for 研究.

The project is expected to expand the undergraduate summer research program, 为学生提供技术角色, 专业发展研讨会, 工业现场参观, and opportunities to present their research. This initiative not only aims to advance the field of technical glass design but also prepares students for careers in ceramics and glass science.

“We are excited to be receiving this award through the NSF Ceramics program and thank Congressman Langworthy for his support. This project will further increase the number of hands-on research opportunities students can pursue, leading to some very important outcomes and better preparing students to enter the workforce after graduation,戈斯塔德说.

“Alfred University is proud to be recognized as a leader in glass science and engineering,” said Alfred University President Mark A. 祖潘, citing Alfred University’s standing as the only university in the United States offering glass engineering and science degree programs at the bachelor’s, 硕士, 和博士水平.

“We are grateful to Congressman Langworthy for his support in securing this significant grant that will further the research opportunities available to our students, 教师, 和工作人员,祖潘说. “This investment recognizes the exceptional work of our 教师, particularly Gabrielle Gaustad and 科林威尔金森. Their dedication and expertise are driving advancements that will have a lasting impact on the industries that will benefit from the research.”