The research projects in this CCI require collaboration that spans a diverse group of chemistry disciplines, thus requiring CCI students to develop new skill sets in areas of chemistry beyond those in which they are formally trained. Successful education in this manner requires co-mentoring by multiple PIs. We have been successful in achieving this through regular (typically weekly) communication among all senior and junior investigators associated with a particular project, and Research thrust leaders are responsible for maintaining this level of regular communication.

All CCI students and postdocs supported by the grant have traveled to their respective partner universities at least twice during the project period. These face-to-face meetings allow the junior investigators to visit their co-mentors’ laboratories and to gain perspective in other fields of chemistry to benefit their projects.

In Phase II, CCI graduate students and advanced undergraduates will also enroll in polymer chemistry courses taught by CCI faculty. CCI Director Christopher Bielawski developed a new grad/undergrad course on macromolecular and polymer chemistry at UT-Austin in 2006; last year more than 125 senior undergraduates and graduate students were enrolled. The course focuses on traditional and contemporary means to control the molecular structure of polymers, including living polymerization reactions such as those proposed in the CCI. At Columbia, Luis Campos introduced the first graduate course focusing on polymer applications, Polymers in Nanotechnology, in Fall 2011. The course focuses on synthesis of polymers and their use as nanostructured materials created by top-down or bottom-up assembly. Modules from these courses will be shared with all CCI partners, and CCI faculty from partnering institutions will guest lecture in each others’ courses to promote cross-fertilization in polymer nanoscience education.