Professor Julia G. Lyubovitsky received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Broadening Participation Research Initiation Grant in Engineering (BRIGE) from the Directorate for Engineering, Engineering Education and Centers program for her research entitled "Towards the in-situ analysis of the assembly of structural proteins by multi-photon optical image guided spectroscopy.” The NSF BRIGE supports development of a new multi-photon optical microscope (MPM) that combines nonlinear optical phenomena of second harmonic generation (SHG) and two-photon fluorescence (TPF) signals integrated with Raman spectroscopy. It will be used to non-invasively monitor and understand the mechanisms of fibrous protein assembly and dis-assembly reactions in-situ during development of several sets of protein-based adhesives. The $175,000 grant will continue through 2011.

The NSF BRIGE grant is intended to expand the population of individuals who will serve as role models for the U.S. engineering workforce of the future. One goal is to make engineering programs more inclusive another is to support innovative plans to recruit and to retain a broad representation of researchers in programs supported by the Directorate of Engineering grants.