Kavli Lectures: New vision of nanomaterial synthesis and light-fueled space travel

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2018 — A new way of envisioning the synthesis of nanomaterials and the concept of using light as fuel for space travel will be the topics of a pair of Kavli Lectures at the 256th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society. The meeting will take place Aug. 19-23 in Boston.

The presentations, among more than 10,000 scheduled to take place at the meeting, will be held on Monday, Aug. 20, at 4 p.m. and 5:15 p.m., respectively, in the Ballroom West of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. ACS President Peter K. Dorhout, Ph.D., will moderate the session. The Kavli lecture series is a result of a collaboration between ACS and The Kavli Foundation, an internationally recognized philanthropic organization known for its support of basic scientific innovation.

The first speaker will discuss how the interactions between metal atoms and ligands predict the final architectures and physical properties of nanomaterials, including dramatic changes in both optoelectronic and magnetic behaviors. The second speaker will describe how the concept of light-driven spacecraft that reach nearby stars within a human lifetime could enable bold new ideas for spacecraft propulsion, instrumentation and communications.

• Jill Millstone, Ph.D. (4 p.m.): The Kavli Foundation Emerging Leader in Chemistry Lecture, “Metal-ligand chemistry in nanoparticle synthesis and performance”
• Harry Atwater, Ph.D. (5:15 p.m.): The Fred Kavli Innovations in Chemistry Lecture, “Light as fuel”

The American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society, is a not-for-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.