International Symposium on Stimuli-Responsive Materials (ISSRM)

After the waves of unprecedented events, starting with the wildfires in California and continuing with COVID-19, the International Symposium on Stimuli-Responsive Materials is back in Windsor, California, USA. This successful event gathered scientists from all around the World. The last decade brought considerable advances in the developments of embedded multi-stimulus responsive functions which continue to be the focal point of many often nature-inspired studies. On behalf of the organizing committee, we look forward to seeing you in Windsor, CA. About the Symposium International Symposium on Stimuli-Responsive Materials (ISSRM) is a non-profit professional consortium gathering scientists and engineers interested in the design, synthesis, characterization, processing, and understanding of the physical, chemical, and applied principles of stimuli-responsive materials, biomaterials, and the development of devices. This annual event offers presentation themes ranging from ‘smart’ materials, polymer synthesis, responsive biological materials, biomimicry, engineered shape-adaptive objects, shape-memory applications, nanomaterial design, composites, and theoretical predictions/simulations. Placed in the casual settings of rolling miles of rugged Pacific coastline, towering redwood forests, and its proximity to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, the Symposium invites graduate students and postdocs from around the world to present their findings at the Graduate Research Poster Session partially supported by Royal Society of Chemistry and other sponsors. Despite a couple of interruptions (2018 California wildfires and 2020 COVID-19), the Symposium offers an outstanding program – thanks to the outstanding speakers, poster presenters, and attendees. Brief History Having begun in 2003 as a graduate research poster session with a couple of invited speakers, and with significant support from the National Science Foundation through Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) headed by Marek, today the Symposium is co-chaired by Marek, Brent, and Ying, and has developed into one of the best annual professional opportunities for scientific exchange among academic, industrial, and government researchers at all levels. The symposium currently gathers the most active scientists in the field and focuses on recent advances in the continually growing field of responsive, adaptive, dynamic, sustainable, and ‘smart’ materials, biomaterials, and associated technologies. Addressing recent advances in solutions, responsive gels, films, coatings, fibers, and composites in the enjoyable settings of Sonoma Wine Country, the symposium has become the boutique landmark of annual opportunities for scientific exchange of the most recent advances in the areas of responsive and adaptive materials and biomaterials.