International Scientific Conference Hosted by WSU in Spokane

SPOKANE, Wash. — Scientists and graduate students from around the world will gather in Spokane for a first-ever five-day workshop Sept. 18-22 to examine the latest methods and techniques in working with crystalline materials. The workshop, “ASCS 2006: Ab Initio Simulations of Crystalline Systems,” is hosted by Washington State University’s Institute for Shock Physics, Italy’s University of Torino, and Michigan Tech University. It is sponsored by the Office of Naval Research.

Thirty-five scientists, postdoctoral research associates, and graduate students are expected to participate, coming from not only the U.S., but also countries such as Italy, France, England, South Africa, and Mexico, according to Yogendra M. (Yogi) Gupta, director of the ISP.

The workshop is aimed at increasing the knowledge and skills of graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and research scientists early in their careers who have some understanding of quantum mechanics and solid-state physics, and who have an interest in ab initio methods and computational techniques for crystalline materials. Ab initio (from “first principles”) methods rely on basic and established laws of nature without additional assumptions or special models.

The majority of the attendees are physicists and chemists who have an interest in modeling or simulating the behavior of crystalline materials. These simulations are essential to the development of advanced materials, as the need for intensive experimental activities is reduced due to the development of specialized computational techniques. The ASCS is based on the Crystal Code, a computational tool for physics and solid state chemistry.

The Crystal software is based upon a complex theoretical framework. The developers of Crystal will be presenting seminars and tutorials at the workshop. Students will have an opportunity to interact directly with the individuals who have either written the mathematical algorithms for the software or have written the code themselves.

In addition, two guest speakers will present during the conference. Ann Mattsson, a scientist from Sandia National Laboratories, will present on density functional theory. She is an expert in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of different functionals and developing new functionals. Neil Ashcroft, a professor of Physics at Cornell University, is known worldwide for his expertise in solid state physics.

ONR is sponsoring the workshop because the understanding of fundamental material properties is crucial to their research mission. In addition, there are few focused short courses or topical workshops for researchers to hone their skills in the current techniques of ab initio modeling of crystalline materials. In fact, this is the first time such a course has been offered in the United States.

Advanced materials represents one of the core research activities for ISP’s Applied Sciences Laboratory. Future topical conferences in the physical sciences and engineering are planned in Spokane and the region.

The Applied Sciences Laboratory

ASL, the applied research component of ISP, is a multidisciplinary, contract research organization that undertakes a broad range of applied research projects for government agencies and corporations, including the development of commercial applications. Started in 2004 with support from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), ASL emphasizes multidisciplinary scientific and technical activities that are different from, but build on, the ongoing scientific activities in ISP.

Based in Spokane, ASL has experimental facilities co-located at WSU campuses in Spokane and Pullman, Washington. It combines the creativity of academic research with the agility and customer focus of private industry.

Innovations and applications involving materials science, optical science, and related technologies will provide the foundation for applied research projects in the areas of national security and alternate energy. Representative activities underway and envisioned for ASL include the dynamic response of materials, reactive materials, chemical dynamics and catalysis, nanocomposite materials, advanced materials and optical sensors for defense and commercial applications, and computational mechanics.

Further information about ASL may be found at www.asl.wsu.edu.