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4 Conclusions and Recommendations
Pages 126-142

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From page 126...
... corporations led the nation and the world in the work of discovering and synthesizing new crystals. In these facilities the vast majority of crystal growth techniques were developed and there, also, important postgraduate training was provided to successive generations of crystal growers.
From page 127...
... Comprehensive Solution to Enhance Competitiveness In this chapter, the Committee for an Assessment of and Outlook for New Materials Synthesis and Crystal Growth recommends ways to address the issues and opportunities identified in this report. Concerted efforts will be required from those engaged in DGCM research, from the educational and research institutions in which those efforts take place, and from those agencies that provide funds and other support for scientific research.
From page 128...
... Increasing Agency Engagement in Advancing the Discovery of New Crystalline Materials and New Methods of Crystal Growth A significant gap has developed in this country between the demand for and the supply of both new crystalline materials and large, high-quality single crystals. The large industrial research laboratories that historically led the nation in dis covering those new crystalline materials and in developing techniques for growing pure crystals no longer engage in these activities to a significant degree.
From page 129...
... Programs funded through such an initiative should provide the range of support necessary to address the spectrum of research needs of this field, from support for small-scale crystal growth laboratories run by single investigators to large-scale centralized facilities for crystalline materials discovery and the growth and characterization of single crystals (addressed in Recommendation 2)
From page 130...
... Such an environment is essential for the cost-effective and timely synthesis of new materials; for the growth of large, high-quality crystals needed for research and technological applications; and for sustaining DGCM research and education. Therefore, the Committee for an Assessment of and Outlook for New Materials Synthesis and Crystal Growth makes the following recommendation: Recommendation 2.
From page 131...
... The NSF program might thus provide a good model for developing a program to support centers of expertise for DGCM activities. Sustaining Expertise in the Discovery and Growth of Crystalline Materials As noted earlier in this report, industrial research laboratories not only developed and purified new crystalline materials, they also trained future generations of crystal growers.
From page 132...
... and crystal growth (and characterization) , this field is inherently interdisciplinary.
From page 133...
... In order for the United States to have a strong and sustainable capability in the discovery and growth of crystalline materials, federal agencies should develop programs and policies that make it attractive for universities in the United States to hire crystal growers and promote robust research programs in this area by providing ample funding specifically for such work. The committee specifically urges that more crystal growers be hired into tenure-track positions at universities.
From page 134...
... Such issues governing intellectual ownership in DGCM activities are not unlike those governing the research activities in national user facilities. To address these issues, the Committee for an Assessment of and Outlook for New Materials Synthesis and Crystal Growth makes the following recommendation: Recommendation 5.
From page 135...
... . A key benefit of a crystalline materials network would be greater access to samples for scientists who work neither at DGCM centers nor at institutions with crystal growth efforts (see Recommendation 2)
From page 136...
... These are documented below in the form of specific pos sible elements of a crystalline materials network: • DGCM proposal modes: Crystalline materials discovery is often motivated by synthesis experts seeking either a new crystal structure or a crystal comprising a new combination of elements or molecules. Motivation can also come from researchers seeking larger crystals, samples with ­elemental substitution, or samples with very high purity.
From page 137...
... Proposals would be held in confidence by a proposal review board established by the network administration.
From page 138...
... • Proposal review: A proposal review board would review crystal growth pro posals submitted to the crystalline materials network on the basis of criteria of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics for excellence in research. Feasibility would be reviewed by the crystal grower(s)
From page 139...
... It is envisioned that the crystalline materials network would administer this database. The committee believes that such a database would change the way that crystalline materials research is performed by enabling searches not now possible and by reducing unnecessary duplication of work that is essentially clerical.
From page 140...
... There are several existing models for such an industry-oriented center that can be evaluated and adapted. An example is the Crystal Growth Laboratory (CGL)
From page 141...
... Large centers would have, as part of their distributed portfolio, the mission to perform noncommercial applied crystal growth for basic research needs. • Summer schools: A critical part of a new DGCM initiative would be to c ­ reate summer schools for the purpose of education and networking among members of the DGCM research community.
From page 142...
... Based on an analysis of the needs, along with the characteristics of the most effective practices in DGCM, the Committee for an Assessment of and Outlook for New Materials Synthesis and Crystal Growth has developed a series of recommendations to strengthen greatly the U.S. capability in the synthesis of new materials and crystal growth.


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