The Polymers 2009 conference assembles an international community for the presentation of recent advances in polymer synthesis, physical characterization, and performance in several complementary emerging technologies. Polymers continue to enable many emerging technologies including tissue regeneration, drug and gene delivery, biomedical technologies, alternate energy, smart surfaces and interfaces, and electro-active devices. In most instances, these technologies require responsive polymers, and polymer design for intelligent response to external stimuli represents an exciting frontier. Lectures dealing with self-healing and shape memory will identify critical design parameters. There is an over-arching need for these technological solutions of the future to also adhere to the principles of earth sustainability. Recent advances in ionic liquids and agricultural based feed stocks are extending performance and decreasing our dependence on petroleum-based monomers. This conference will present recent advances in the design of multifunctional polymers, including both synthetic and biological systems. Supramolecular chemistry including the investigation of electrostatic interactions, multiple hydrogen bonding, and metal-ligand interactions will be described. Moreover, the conference will provide mechanisms for professional networking through evening poster sessions and the participation of industrial, national laboratory, and academic scientists and engineers. The program also will ensure an integration of polymer design with recent advances in polymer characterization techniques with a focus on morphological structure and correlation of structure with properties and performance. This conference will be preceded with a Graduate Research Seminar (GRS) for the first time, which will allow our future scientific leaders to network and meet our current leaders in both academia and industry. Outstanding lectures and posters from the GRS will be identified and highlighted in the subsequent conference.

Confirmed speakers include:

Joseph M. DeSimone (UNC Chapel Hill), Rint Sijbesma (Eindhoven University, Netherlands), David Tirrell (Cal Tech), Craig J. Hawker (UCSB), Karen Winey (UPenn), Stephen Cheng (Akron), Theresa Reineke (Virginia Tech), Karen Wooley (Washington), Mark Van Dyke (Wake Forest), Greg Tew (UMASS), Anna Balazs (Pittsburgh), Joy Cheng (IBM Almaden), Thomas Epps (Delaware), Jerry White (Dow Chemical), Tony Ryan (UK), Ann-Christine Albertsson (Sweden), Timothy Lodge (Minnesota), Hiro Nishide (Waseda University, Japan), Deborah Jones (France), Scott Grayson (Tulane University), Jeff Moore (University of Illinois), Luc Leemans (DSM, Netherlands)

The promise of fuel cells to provide a clean, quiet and efficient electrochemical conversion of hydrogen to electricity has stimulated widespread research and development of the respective technologies.

The 2009 Gordon Research Conference on Fuel Cells will focus on the recent advances in fundamental science and research of polymer electrolyte fuel cells for automotive, stationary power, and portable applications. In all these areas of application, prototypes have been demonstrated, however the stage of commercialization still requires new scientific approaches and breakthroughs. The conference will focus on the development and understanding of membrane materials and electro-catalysis, the comprehension of the significant structure property relations for mass transport, and model based developments. The relevant issues on the system and hydrogen supply level will also be reviewed. Contributions will cover both, the academic and industrial views.

The feature of a session with rapid communications, introduced in 2008, will be continued. This session will be open to novel and controversial findings. Short presentations (5 slides max.) are solicitated, allowing for a broad participation from attendees and stimulating early discussions.