Dr. Xiaobo Tan and Dawn Hedgepath Advocating for NSF Funding on Capitol Hill

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Dr. Xiaobo Tan and Dawn Hedgepath Advocating for NSF Funding on Capitol Hill
Dr. Tan and his Ph.D. student attended the 14th Annual Coalition for National Science Funding...

Dr. Tan and his Ph.D. student, Dawn Hedgepeth, together with Associate Dean Leo Kempel, attended the 14th Annual Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) Exhibition and Reception on Capitol Hill on the evening of June 25, 2008. CNSF is an alliance of over 100 institutions and professional societies that supports the goal of increasing the national investment in the National Science Foundation's research and education programs. The annual Capitol Hill exhibition event features research and education projects supported by NSF, and impresses lawmakers with the impact of NSF-funded programs. 

Representing MSU, Dr. Tan and Dawn presented a poster "Electroactive Polymers as Artificial Muscles and Sensors: Investigation from a Systems Perspective," that described Tan's NSF CAREER project and its potential societal, educational, and outreach impacts. They also held live demos of artificial muscle-enabled robotic fish, which made their conversations much easier with congressmen and their staffers.

 For more information, visit the site at University of Maryland, Tan's Alma Mater.

Dr. Tan describing the NSF project to Congressman Vernon Ehlers (R-MI).
Dr. Tan describing the NSF project to Congressman
Vernon Ehlers (R-MI).

 Dawn speaking to a visitor about her research on artificial muscles.
Dawn speaking to a visitor about her research
on artificial muscles.

 From left: Dawn, Dr. Tan, and Dr. Arden Bement (Director of NSF).
From left: Dawn, Dr. Tan, and Dr. Arden Bement
(Director of NSF).

 From left: Dr. Tan, Dr. Kathie Olsen (Deputy Director of NSF), and Dawn.
From left: Dr. Tan, Dr. Kathie Olsen (Deputy Director
of NSF), and Dawn.