Dr. Ilona Kretzschmar, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering at The Grove School of Engineering at The City College of New York (CCNY), has been awarded a five-year, $449,386 CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation to synthesize uniquely functionalized nanoparticles for hierarchical self-assembly of three-dimensional structures. The CAREER grant is NSF’s most prestigious award for early career-development of young faculty. The award enables Professor Kretzschmar and her group to expand their research efforts on particle modification strategies that will lead to the synthesis of “patchy” particles, analogous to the patches on a soccer ball. Subsequently, molecular linkers will direct the assembly of these particles into three dimensional structures important to the fields of photonics and semiconductor electronics. The grant also supports several of Professor Kretzschmar educational activities. It will expand the visiting international scholar summer research program to include CCNY students seeking to accomplish research at international academic institutions. It will enable the set-up of an early-career mentoring program for women and students from underrepresented groups in collaboration with the Louis-Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation. And, it will expose journalism and film students to the field of nanotechnology through collaboration with the Media and Communications Arts department at CCNY.