Delia Milliron Selected for U.S. Defense Science Study Group

Delia Milliron, associate professor and Fellow of the Henry Beckman Professorship, has been selected for the United States’ Defense Science Study Group (DSSG).

The two-year program introduces outstanding scientists and engineers to the challenges facing national security and encourages them to apply their expertise to address these issues. Milliron is one of 17 U.S. academic researchers chosen for the program’s 2016-2017 class.

Group members interact with top-level officials from the Department of Defense, the White House, Congress and other government organizations and intelligence agencies. Visits to U.S. military bases provide members with a unique perspective of operating forces and allow members to meet with senior commanders responsible for the nation’s defense.

Group members become prepared to act as government advisers and to consult on national security issues based on their areas of expertise and DSSG interactions. They can also learn how to best assist national security efforts within in their own research.

Milliron’s research focuses on advanced materials and nanotechnology to develop next-generation electronic devices and energy technologies. Her team develops materials based on nanocrystals, including ‘smart’ or responsive materials that could be used in dynamic detection systems. Currently, she is developing a ‘smart’ window coating that can respond to weather conditions and selectively control the amount of heat or light passing through. Other materials her team is working on have uses in switchable data storage devices.

Established in 1986, the DSSG is directed by the non-profit Institute for Defense Analyses and is sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. DSSG alumni serve as advisors, consultants, members of boards, study groups, and task forces for organizations that address technological problems of national importance.

Former DSSG members in the chemistry and chemical engineering community include: Joe DeSimone (UNC), Jim Tour (Rice), Paul Weiss (UCLA), Mark Davis (Caltech), Emily Carter (Princeton), Vicki Colvin (Rice), Catherine Murphy (Illinois), Andy Ellington (UT Austin), Ed Yu (UT Austin), Angie Belcher (MIT), Frank Doyle (UCSB), Teri Odom (Northwestern), Michael Strano (MIT), among others.

Tags: awards, chemical engineering, delia milliron, DSSG, nanotechnology research, smart windows, U.S. Defense Science Study Group, UT Austin