Conference: Student Participation Support for the 2024 North American Membrane Society (NAMS) Conference

This award will provide travel support for 24 U.S.-based undergraduate and graduate students to attend the 33rd Annual Meeting of the North American Membrane Society (NAMS). The meeting will be held in Santa Fe, NM, from May 11 to May 15, 2024. The NAMS Annual Meeting is a unique venue for the membranes research community, membrane manufacturers, and end users to discuss relevant topics ranging from fundamental studies in membrane material science to process systems development to applications of membrane technologies in water, bioprocessing, chemical separations, environmental systems, and energy. The 2024 meeting’s "Decarbonization " theme guides presenters to focus on the latest developments and innovations in membrane science and membrane-based separation processes geared towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to participate in every event, including plenary and technical presentations, poster sessions, workshops, and professional mentorship breakout sessions. The travel support will extend these technical and professional skills development opportunities to a diverse group of student researchers who might otherwise be unable to attend the meeting. Additionally, it will provide a welcoming environment where students can network with community leaders and fellow students. Early engagement in a professional society’s activities will motivate students to pursue advanced degrees in their respective fields and develop a healthy and diverse workforce. The 2024 NAMS meeting will cover various topics related to membrane materials, processes, and applications. The meeting will feature 26 technical sessions, daily plenary sessions, a poster session, and abundant unstructured discussion periods to catalyze new collaborative relationships and research ideas. Invited speakers from academia, industry, and government labs are featured prominently in the program. This year, three new keynote sessions – “Decarbonizing Water,” “Decarbonizing Energy,” and “Decarbonizing Crosscutting Technologies” – have been added to provide a platform for pioneers in the field to present their groundbreaking ideas toward industrial decarbonization. Four technical workshops tailored for students and researchers new to the membranes field will be offered before the meeting. The workshop topics include (I) Membranes for water treatment and reuse, (II) Measurement methods for membranes, (III) Membranes for gas separations, and (IV) Membranes for bioprocessing. Historically, hundreds of graduate students have participated in the NAMS meeting and have engaged in unique professional development and training opportunities. This award will extend such opportunities to a cohort of U.S.-based undergraduate and graduate students to grow and retain a diverse community of membrane scientists and engineers. All undergraduate attendees will be paired with senior graduate student mentors who will serve as meeting guides and support an immersive experience. The program's effectiveness will be assessed through surveys and observation of long-term student outcomes, which will be disseminated through the society’s quarterly publication. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.