Jülich Aachen Research Alliance to Host Nature Conference
New electronic materials are expected to result in groundbreaking innovations for the next generation of computers and renewable energy carriers such as rechargeable batteries and fuel cells. They are characterized by a multitude of unusual electronic phenomena, including multiferroicity, memristive behavior, spintronic effects, superionic conduction and artificial photosynthesis, as well as unexpected effects at complex heterointerfaces. Most of these phenomena, which are currently the focus of intense research, have been discovered in recent years. They form the topic of the conference “Frontiers in Electronic Materials: Correlation Effects and Memristive Phenomena,” which is to take place from July 17-20 at Eurogress Aachen and is jointly organized by the Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance – an initiative by RWTH Aachen University and Forschungszentrum Jülich – and the high-profile journal Nature Materials.
The properties of novel complex materials are being increasingly better understood and are expected to provide the basis for revolutionary innovations in various areas of application.
Future memory storage devices, for instance, might be able to store extremely high amounts of data and retain the data even after power is turned off. In this way, starting up computers, cell phones, and tablet PCs will be a thing of the past.
Another possible area of application includes renewable energies: these new materials may provide the basis for high-performance rechargeable batteries capable of storing more energy, or more efficient fuel cells to power electric cars.
Bringing Together World Leaders in Research
Even though there is a very broad range of possible applications, the materials are very similar. Typically, they are metal oxides – due to their chemical stability and their unusual electronic properties – or so-called higher chalcogenides.
The conference “Frontiers in Electronic Materials: Correlation Effects and Memristive Phenomena” is to further increase understanding of these complex materials. The conference aims at bringing together leaders in interdisciplinary fields such as data storage technologies and renewable energies to discuss breakthroughs and challenges in fundamental research as well as prospects for future applications.
The Aachen conference is the first cooperation between a German university and the Nature Publishing Group. The publisher of the journal Nature collaborates with high-profile researchers and institutions worldwide. The aim of conferences organized by Nature is to provide forums for international top-level research. With an estimated number of 600 participants from all over the world, the Aachen conference is also one of the largest of its kind.
Panel Discussion
DISCIPLINARY VS INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH – HOW TO IMPROVE PROGRESS IN SCIENCE?
Sunday, June 17, 2012, 5.45–7.00pm
Eurogress Conference Center (Europasaal), Monheimsallee 48, 52062 Aachen
Panelists:
Joerg Heber, Senior Editor Nature Materials, UK
Andrew Briggs, University of Oxford, UK
David DiVincenzo, JARA, Forschungszentrum Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, Germany
Peter Littlewood, Argonne Nat. Lab., USA
Masashi Kawasaki, University of Tokyo, Japan