The Soft and Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental (SHyNE) Resource is a joint venture between Northwestern University (PI, Dravid) and the University of Chicago (co-PI, Cleland). SHyNE provides access to user facilities with leading-edge fabrication and characterization tools, instrumentation, and expertise in all disciplines of nanoscale science, engineering, and technology with a focus on soft and hybrid nanostructures. SHyNE Resource coordinates the integration of a diverse group of open-access nanoscale fabrication, synthesis, and characterization facilities, leveraging extensive infrastructure ($150M equipment; 65,000 sq ft) and expertise (60+ technical staff) in soft and hybrid nanotechnology toward connecting with researchers in new and emerging nanotechnology fields. Industries such as biotechnology, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, biomedical, and food are developing nano-enabled products and have research needs not met in traditional nano facilities. SHyNE bridges the gap between these diverse and divergent research areas with advanced fabrication, synthesis, and characterization. In addition to traditional MEMS fabrication toolsets, SHyNE has key capabilities at the interface between soft and hard nanostructures, such as novel soft-lithography tools, peptide synthesis, and advanced bio-cryo sample preparation and microscopy. Through NSF-NNCI support, SHyNE connects these state-of-the-art research capabilities to academic, government, non-profit, and commercial research programs across the Midwest and the U.S., which in turn leads to life-enhancing breakthroughs.

Technical Capabilities and Facilities - SHyNE integrates the operations of 12 independent research core facilities, which operate out of over 65,000 square feet of laboratories. NUANCE, Cohen-XRD, NUCAPT, PLD, and IMSERC operate on Northwestern’s technology campus in Evanston, adjacent to Chicago. NUANCE operates out of 24,000 square feet of laboratories (about 2,200 square meters) and is comprised of EPIC, Keck-II, SPID, BioCryo, and NUFAB facilities. SQI bio-nanotechnology facilities, ANTEC and Peptide Synthesis Core, are located at Northwestern’s medical school campus in downtown Chicago. Pritzker nanofabrication facility is located at the University of Chicago and operates in 10,000 square feet of nanofabrication facilities.

SHyNE deploys three modes of user interaction, depending on the individual project needs: full-service, where SHyNE staff undertake all research in consultation with users; technical assistance, where users are on-site and sitting alongside SHyNE staff; and self-service, where users are fully trained on the necessary capabilities and perform work themselves, using our equipment. The key technical capabilities of the SHyNE Nanotechnology Resource include the following: (1) Electron Microscopy of Hard Material, (2) Electron Microscopy of Soft Biological Material, (3) Crystallography and X-Ray Characterization, (4) Pulsed Laser Deposition, (5) Bio-Nanotechnology and Molecular Engineering, (6) Nanofabrication of Microelectronics, (7) Nanofabrication of Bioelectronics.

Regional Impact - SHyNE has an important impact on the greater Chicago region and its economy and is dedicated to the education of young people, facilitating the success of k-12 and university students, with their personal enrichment, education, and career development. SHyNE operates as a global community center, dedicated to serving educators, students of all ages, scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs. Impact is categorized as follows:

Support for startups and small companies – SHyNE has supported over 300 industrial researchers from nearly 150 companies. 159 users from 87 small companies have taken advantage of SHyNE’s advanced instrumentation that would otherwise be out of reach. SHyNE’s SEED funding initiative enhances the impact to Small and Medium Enterprises by providing funding to generate initial research data in support of SBIR grant proposals and other small-enterprise funding opportunities.

Support to regional academic institutions - SHyNE has annually supported over 200 users from over 75 academic institutions across the US, and we expect this impact to continue grow over the coming years.

Engagement with National Labs - SHyNE has enhanced existing relationships with two national labs in the region (Argonne and Fermi). There are great potential synergies between the capabilities of the user facilities at each institution. SHyNE is working to build stronger ties with various initiatives and other collaborative projects.

Community engagement – SHyNE outreach efforts have reached broadly across communities in the Chicago and the greater US. In partnership with Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, innovations are broadly communicated through SHyNE’s novel Nano-Journalism program. SHyNE supports K‐12 educational activities with a strong impact on underrepresented groups; SHyNE partnered with the Society of Women Engineers and Microscopy Society of America to organize and host the first annual Women in Microscopy Conference. SHyNE works closely with Northwestern’s Science in Society organization to reach underrepresented K‐12 students through partnerships with institutions such as the Boys and Girls Club of Chicago, and Chicago Public Schools. SHyNE hosts technical workshops, seminars and symposia which are open to the public. To date, SHyNE has hosted nearly 492 education and outreach events, connecting with over 18,000 participants.

Interactions with cultural institutions - SHyNE supports the research and STEM outreach of Chicago’s world-class museums, including The Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, and the Art Institute of Chicago.

Last Modified: 12/17/2021
Modified by: Vinayak P Dravid