ICAM workshop entitled "Novel Emergent Phenomena Created by Spatial Confinement"

An ICAM workshop entitled "Novel Emergent Phenomena Created by Spatial Confinement", organized by our research group, was held at LSU on October 27-30, 2010. The focus of this workshop combines two of the major material themes of the 21st century—nano and complexity with the expectation the new emergent phenomena will appear. The challenge and the opportunity is to use what we learn to either design or discover new materials or new functionality. There were approximately 50 participants attending the workshop coming from the United States, Asia, and Europe. The workshop had a total of 20 invited talks with extended times for exciting discussions. Professor Thomas Klei, the LSU Interim Vice Chancellor of Research & Economic Development, gave the welcome speech at the workshop. This workshop was dedicated to Professor E. Ward Plummer, who turned 70 at the end of October 2010. Ward has a central scientific concern of combining the knowledge from surface physics with materials science in order to gain a better understanding of emergent phenomena in complex correlated electron materials driven by broken symmetry and spatial confinement. This class of materials include high-temperature superconducting copper oxides and newly discovered iron-based superconductors. We also had a birthday celebration for Professor Plummer at Nottoway Plantation. The entire event was a complete success.