Thrust Areas

Thrust areas are focused research programs sponsored by the USC NanoCenter, and to which the USCNC commits to longer-term support.  The overall goal of the thrust area program is to identify convergent interests among faculty in competitive areas of research, and to build expertise and research in these areas to achieve major federal funding. Faculty are not required to be members of a thrust area, but can form new groups and compete with existing thrust areas for
sponsorship. Thrust areas receive support in several ways.  Short-term support for research efforts is often available.  Longer-term support to improve experimental facilities and to hire new faculty in support of thrust areas is another tactic of the USCNC.

Prospective thrust areas come into existence when teams achieve recognition by receiving major grant support, industrial involvement, or by some other notable accomplishment or as a result of a purposeful drive of the USCNC to build research in specific areas. Prospective thrust areas then compete with existing thrust areas for support from the USCNC. The thrust area program is a dynamic activity, with re-evaluation of existing thrusts and consideration of new thrusts on an annual basis.

• Societal Interactions with Nanotechnology
• Catalysis
• Nanoelectronics
• Nanoenviroment
• Polymer Nanocomposites
• Nanobiotechnology