Graphene And Beyond Workshop: 2016-2019 Summary

What Has Been Achieved:

The Graphene and Beyond Workshop aims to enhance synergy in the 2D materials community. The workshop brings together a diversity of institutions across academia, government and industry and individuals across career levels with exposure to technical talks, tutorials, and poster exposition. Over the last four years of 2DCC sponsorship, >650 individuals have attended this event.  The 2DCC has broadened workshop participation by sponsoring travel and registration for 19 faculty/postdocs and 14 students from MSI, PUI and non-R1 institutions.  Several of those sponsored have become 2DCC users after attending the workshop including Juniata College, North Carolina Central University, University of North Carolina Greensboro, NC A&T, University of Puerto Rico Humacao, University of New Hampshire.  This effort to broaden participation is part of the 2DCC’s core mission to create a community of practitioners.

One such faculty participant from the University of Puerto Rico – Humacao (UPRH, a minority-serving institution – MSI) received 2DCC travel support to the 2016 edition of the workshop and became an external 2DCC user in thin film synthesis, along with another faculty member.  An undergraduate student who was a user on that external user project subsequently matriculated at Penn State University as a graduate student and is now a part of a new 2DCC local user project at Penn State.  That student then also succeeded in becoming an NSF Fellowship awardee in 2019.  A subsequent undergraduate on the UPRH external user project won an APS best poster award in Spring 2019 based on results from the 2DCC project.

Importance of Achievement:

The advancement of technical research, professional development, and broadening participation in 2D crystal science is critical to the future of the 2D community in building a diverse community of practitioners.

Unique Features of the MIP That Enabled Workshop:

The 2DCC platform has 3 main pillars (in-house research, external user program, and education/outreach/diversity activities in support of the research).  These 3 pillars are each represented at the workshop by virtue of those attending and presenting these various aspects in technical talks, tutorials and posters.  As a part of its Education/Outreach/Diversity program, the 2DCC offers travel funds to broaden participation at this workshop for professional development as well as recruitment to the 2DCC facility through user proposals.