Recipients of 3M Awards Tell Their Tales of Innovative Research

In an eclectic assembly of visionary young scientists, 29 non-tenured faculty members from 20 of the leading R&D universities in the U.S. are sharing the results of their research here today, at the 3M Science and Engineering Faculty Day at 3M Center.

Each of the participants is a recipient of a 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award, under the company’s three-decade-old program to encourage the pursuit of new ideas among younger university professors.  The awards in the $800,000 program are granted by 3M as part of 3M’s support of innovative research in higher education.  There are 52 recipients this year.

“The 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award Program illustrates 3M's commitment to leading-edge scientific research in America and is an important part of 3M's greater than a century of commitment to innovation.  It also provides a great opportunity for industrial and academic researchers to interact,” says Terry Smith, Technical Director of 3M's Corporate Research Materials Laboratory. 

“The unrestricted awards enable recipients to pursue their own lines of interest and provides an opportunity to come to 3M and interact with their peers,” he explains. “For 3M researchers, it is an additional opportunity to stay in touch with the creative ideas that are stimulating some of the nation's brightest young scientists." 

Some examples that, attendees will hear about this year include:

• "Biosynthetic Innovations for Sustainable Polymers" by Prof.Kechun Zhang from the University of Minnesota
• "Organic Semiconductors for Optoelectronic Devices" from Prof. Trisha Andrew from the University of Wisconsin
• "Adaptive and Responsive Nanoparticle Amphiphiles" by Kyle Bishop of Penn State University.

Also presenting are researchers from the University of Connecticut, Purdue University, North Dakota State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Clemson University, University of Texas at Austin, University of Colorado at Boulder, University of California-Riverside, South Dakota State University, University of Michigan, California Polytechnic State University, Virginia Tech, Central Oklahoma University, University of California-Irvine, Washington State University, and Northwestern University.

Currently, the awards to each participating researcher average approximately $15,000.  Recipients are nominated and sponsored by 3M scientists. 

About 3M
3M captures the spark of new ideas and transforms them into thousands of ingenious products. Our culture of creative collaboration inspires a never-ending stream of powerful technologies that make life better. 3M is the innovation company that never stops inventing. With $30 billion in sales, 3M employs 88,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 70 countries. For more information, visit www.3M.com or follow @3MNews on Twitter.

About 3M Community Giving
3M is not only a company that creates; it is a company that cares.  3M Community Giving is helping to improve lives in communities around the world.  Celebrating 60 years of formalized giving, 3M and the 3M Foundation have invested $1.3 billion in cash and products to education and charitable organizations.  These donations were bolstered by thousands of employee and retiree volunteers.  In 2012, 3M awarded $56.6 million to non-profit organizations. For more information, visit www.3Mgiving.com  and follow on Twitter @3Mgiving.

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