The prestigious CAREER Awards are presented nationwide to junior faculty who “exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education, and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations,” according to the NSF website.

A highly competitive grant award designed to establish a “lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research,” the CAREER Award is considered a clear indication of achievement. A number of UNLV faculty have received this prestigious award through the years; here is the story of one of them.

Dong-Chan Lee, Chemistry

Dong-Chan Lee is a patient man. He has to be. He works at the molecular level.

Yes, he can envision his research someday leading to useful applications in electronics or renewable energy. But other scientists and engineers will be the ones to test and perhaps employ his research to develop these products.

Meanwhile, he is delighted to be in his lab, conducting research on the molecular building blocks that may one day enhance these applications.

Lee is conducting fundamental research on new ways of improving the properties of organic semiconductors. Semiconductors are used as key components in all electronics equipment – everything from radios to computers to digital displays.

Commercial semiconductors are typically made of inorganic material, primarily silicon, which has limitations in shape and flexibility. Organic semiconductors, on the other hand, are more flexible, lightweight, and easier to process than those made of silicon, and their properties can be easily tuned through synthetic chemistry.

For these reasons, organic semiconductors, which are typically carbon-based, are now being used to develop novel products, such as bendable TV screens and solar panels. However, there are still some challenges to address with organic semiconductors, primarily “charge transport,” or the movement of electrons. Scientists are still grappling with this issue, as it limits the performance of organic semiconductor-based devices.

Lee is one of the scientists studying this area. His research focuses on improving the properties of organic semiconductors using a bottom-up approach starting at the molecular level. His work involves programming carbon-based molecules in a way that enables them to self-assemble into nanofibers that make better material for the creation of organic semiconductors.

What is the impact of this research?

Lee is establishing the concept for his research and has authored scholarly articles in several prestigious journals on the subject. He will soon collaborate with other scientists who will test the efficiency of devices based on his nanofibers; this will, in essence, assess the applicability of his concept and begin to indicate its value. If these nanofibers do facilitate charge transport more effectively than other materials, as he has postulated, they may be used in a whole host of applications, such as improved solar cells, organic LEDs, and transistors. While he acknowledges it is a long way off, if his concept is confirmed, it could make a significant contribution to the field of electronics.

Lee also seeks to expand the impact of his research through outreach into the high schools. Through his summer research programs, students from Basic High School have already participated in the NSF research project for two years. “This program has received positive feedback from both the students and the teacher,” Lee says, noting that he hopes the program promotes interest in science among the students.

Lee has also received more than $850,000 in grant funding, including an internal seed grant designed to facilitate external grant acquisition.

How did he become interested in this area of study?

“Previously, I worked in two different areas that I connected for the current research: developing new organic semiconductors and self-assembly of organic molecules,” he says. “After seeing the limitations of organic semiconductor research, I had a novel thought: Why not try programming organic molecules so that they self-assemble? This would create nanofibers that facilitate charge transport and could be used to improve the material for organic semiconductor-based devices.”

How are students involved?

In addition to his summer research program for high school students, Lee has worked closely with more than a dozen UNLV students in his laboratory.

“I provide research opportunities to undergraduate students to enable them to experience cutting edge science,” he says. “I also provide mentoring and training to graduate students so that they can learn problem-solving techniques through research.”

Research opportunities equip all students with analytical skills necessary for their future careers, Lee notes.

He also incorporates his research into his classroom instruction so that students can see how organic chemistry can be applied to create something useful in daily life. “This helps to motivate students and keeps them up-to-date on the real-life application of organic chemistry.”

What other areas does he study?

“Resources are limited, and I am deeply involved in my current area of research,” he says. “But I’m considering the notion of applying this concept to other types of electronic devices, such as sensors.”

How does he feel about receiving the NSF Career Award?

“Lucky,” he says with a smile, noting that he had heard it was important to speak with an NSF program officer before submitting his proposal, but he didn’t have time to do so. He had also heard that it was rare to receive the Career Award on the first try. But he threw his hat in the ring along with scientists from some of the most prestigious institutions in the U.S. and received the award in 2009. He says he doubted himself at times as he was applying, but he was very grateful to see how fair the process was and to learn that his idea was validated. Since then, the NSF has asked him to become a reviewer for other NSF awards.