Welcome to the Golden Gate Polymer Forum
The GGPF is a non-profit educational and scientific organization dedicated to the study of polymeric materials and devices.
About GGPF
The GGPF is a non-profit educational and scientific organization dedicated to the study of polymeric materials and devices. We sponsor monthly dinner lectures and occasional short courses and symposia with events based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our participants are individuals working in both industry and academia from a variety of disciplines. All interested in the study of polymers are welcome to attend. Please visit our event archives or view future scheduled events.
Events
Upcoming Events
Two Dimensional Polymers and Polymerizations by Prof. William R. Dichtel, Northwestern University
Webinar
Two Dimensional Polymers and Polymerizations
Prof. William R. Dichtel
Department of Chemistry
Northwestern University
Tuesday, July 28, Webinar at 6:30 PM Pacific time
Abstract
Synthetic chemists have developed robust methods to synthesize discrete molecules, linear and branched polymers, and disordered cross-linked networks. However, two-dimensional (2D) polymers prepared from designed monomers have been long missing from these capabilities, both as objects of chemical synthesis and in nature. Recently, new polymerization strategies and characterization methods have enabled the unambiguous realization of 2D, covalently linked macromolecular sheets. We have developed tools to study these polymerizations experimentally and computationally, which has given rise to the first controlled two-dimensional polymerizations, along with materials of improved quality.1,2 Furthermore, a new solid-state polymerization approach provides access to two-dimensional polymers containing mechanical bonds at each repeat unit.3,4 These approaches and the properties of high-quality 2D polymers that are now emerging will be presented.
(1) Natraj, A. et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 19813–19824
(2) Kharel, P. et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 11821–11828.
(3) Bardot, M. I. et al. Science 2025 387, 264–269.
(4) Bardot, M. I. et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2026, 148, 20631–20638.
Speaker Background
William Dichtel received a B.S. in Chemistry from MIT and Ph.D. from UC-Berkeley under Prof. Jean M. J. Fréchet. He was a postdoctoral researcher with Prof. Fraser Stoddart at UCLA, and Prof. James Heath at Caltech. He began his independent career at Cornell University in 2008 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2014. In 2016, he moved to Northwestern University as the Robert L. Letsinger Professor of Chemistry. His research has expanded the study of polymerization into the second and third dimensions in polymers known as covalent organic frameworks, porous polymers for water purification, and new approaches to polymer recycling. Dichtel has been recognized with a MacArthur Fellowship, the Leo Hendrik Baekeland Award of the North Jersey Section of the ACS, and as the 2020 Blavatnik National Laureate in Chemistry.
DATE and Time: Tuesday, July 28, 6:30 PM Pacific time
Registration deadline: Monday, July 27, 1:00 PM.
Registration may close earlier than the nominal deadline if capacity is reached.
This event will be FREE OF CHARGE, but we still require you to fill out the registration form. In particular, we need to have your name and email address for you to be able to participate. Please provide affiliation also if you can, as it helps us judge audience interests.
If you can spare a small amount, GGPF requests an optional donation of $5 (or more) but this is not required to register and attend the webinar.
To register for free, use the pull-down toggle to select "All registrants ($0.00)" choice.
To donate, use the pull down toggle to select "GGPF donation ($5.00)". This will direct you to a secure link where you can use PayPal or any credit or debit card. For larger donations, use the "Donate to GGPF" link on the front page GGPF.org
Webinar Timing: 6:30 PM.
(Zoom meeting room will open earlier)
Attendees who complete the registration form will receive information by email for how to participate. It is requested that people join the meeting invitation well before 6:30 PM to avoid delays.
Registrants will receive the information needed to join the webinar within a day of the event in an email from “events@ggpf.ccsend.com”. To be certain of seeing the note, please add events@ggpf.ccsend.com to your safe mail senders list, and/or look in your spam, updates, or other mailbox locations in addition to your primary Inbox.
Please register on the web page.
You should receive email confirmation of your registration; if not, please contact us again.
Do not reply to email from events@ggpf.ccsend.com
For questions or other assistance, contact:
Clayton Henderson
macro2nano@verizon.net
Attendees will be added to the GGPF email announcements list unless they request otherwise.
Available Spaces: 953
Introductory Overview: Polymers in Advanced Semiconductor Technologies (1.5-Day Live Virtual Short Course)
Introductory Overview: Polymers in Advanced Semiconductor Technologies
Live virtual short course
October 20-21, 2026
Sponsored by the Golden Gate Polymer Forum.
This course provides an overview of polymer materials commonly implemented in semiconductor technologies, ranging from precision patterning to packaging applications. Presentations will highlight key applications in semiconductor technologies, polymer classes and chemistries, structure-process-property relationships, and relevant characterization techniques and analyses. Case studies will be employed to highlight the application, utility and nuances of chip and device level considerations, and relevant measurement approaches through real data. The course is designed for all education levels and is accessible even with minimal polymer materials background.
LIST OF TOPICAL AREAS:
- Polymer design considerations for semiconductor technologies: from photolithography through device packaging
- Chemistries and characterization techniques for probing critical application-specific properties
- Rheological experiments to assess processibility and influence of processing on performance
- Topical examples around emerging technologies
INSTRUCTORS:
Tim Long (TL)
Arizona State University
School of Molecular Sciences
Biodesign Institute
School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy
Biodesign Center for Sustainable Macromolecular Materials and Manufacturing
https://longgroup.asu.edu/
Mike Bortner (MB)
Virginia Tech
Department of Chemical Engineering
Macromolecules Innovation Institute
https://www.bortnerlab.com/
Bob Allen (BA)
National Lab of the Rockies (formerly NREL)
Senior Research Fellow
https://research-hub.nlr.gov/en/persons/bob-allen/
Dr. Kyle Arrington (KA)
Intel
Materials Engineering R&D Manager
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-arrington-628654bb
LECTURE OUTLINE:
1.5 day course, all times Pacific Time
Day 1
8:30 - Introductory Statements from GGPF
8:45 KA1 - More Than Moore: Semiconductor Packaging 101 - Basics
9:45 break
10:00 BA1 - Moore’s Law: Lithography 101 and Design of Photoresists for Semiconductor Manufacturing
11:00 break
11:15 TL1 - Structure-Property Relationships for Polymeric Networks; Crosslinked Epoxies and Composites
12:15 Lunch break
1:15 MB1 - Chemorheology: Characterizing Light and Thermal Curing Processing Behavior
2:15 break
2:30 KA2 - Advanced Packaging Integration – (2.5 D, Die Stacking, Advanced Thermals, and Silicon Photonics)
3:30 break
3:45 BA2 - Photo-Definable Packaging Materials: Strategy, Fundamentals, and Materials
Day 2
8:30 TL2 - Siloxanes for Adhesion Performance: Thermal and Surface Analysis Techniques
9:30 break
9:45 MB2 - Rheology of Particle-Filled Systems
10:45 – break
11:00 – 12:00 all - Future Chemistry Challenges
LOGISTICAL NOTES AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
EVENT DATES:
Tuesday October 20 (full day) and Wednesday October 21, 2026 (half day)
Each day's lectures begin 8:30 AM Pacific time
Class materials will be presented using Zoom Webinar. Registrants will receive webinar information shortly before the class begins.
PRICING AND DEADLINES:
Registration deadline dates are tiered, with early, regular, and late registration fees. All deadline times are Pacific time.
$275 early registration ends Sunday, August 2, 11:59 PM
$375 regular registration ends Monday, October 5, 8:00 PM
$425 late registration, if still available, ends Saturday, October 17, 8:00 PM
No registration is complete until payment is received.
No registrations allowed after 8 PM October 17.
GGPF may close registration earlier if in our opinion class size is becoming too large.
REGISTRATION INFO AND CANCELLATION POLICY:
Register with the form on the GGPF web page: Register with the form below. Please pay by credit card or PayPal on the GGPF secure registration form. If you absolutely must pay by check, contact GGPF well in advance for information to send checks to our Treasurer.
- No cancellations or refunds are allowed after end of Regular Registration, at 8:00 PM, Oct. 5. If you cancel before then, you will receive a refund (minus a $50 processing fee). If you find that you are unable to attend the course after that date, another member of your organization may be substituted for no extra cost. In the unlikely event that the short course is cancelled by GGPF, you will receive a complete refund (no processing fee).
- If your company requires it, the GGPF Tax ID number will be provided to you by e-mailing a request to Jennifer Hoffman. Please note that the conference registration fee covers the short course expenses and is not a tax-deductible donation.
- An automated e-mail receipt will be provided as soon as you register and is usually sufficient for corporate reimbursement. If you require a hard copy receipt, please contact Jennifer Hoffman and one can be mailed to you.
- Please register with the email you intend to use for the Zoom event when the class is live. Class Zoom info will be linked to your email account used for registration. If you need to change the email after registration has already occurred, contact GGPF.
- Course protocols and Zoom information will be provided at minimum one day before the course begins, with reminders afterwards. PLEASE NOTE: Course-related emails will come from “events@ggpf.ccsend.com”.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For general questions, including about course content, contact Clayton Henderson, macro2nano@verizon.net. Please make the subject line of the note include "GGPF Short Course". Be sure to write if you have not received the course info and Zoom links by the day before, Monday Oct. 19.
For questions about registration, such as payment problems, web page issues, cancellations, substitutions or requests to pay by check, contact Jennifer Hoffman, jennifer.hoffman@me.eurofinsus.com
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT EMAILS:
Registrants will be added to the GGPF email announcements list. As a result, you will receive GGPF email announcements from our Constant Contact mail service, showing as coming from events@ggpf.ccsend.com. Please put this address on your safe list. On an ongoing basis, GGPF will send out 3 or 4 email announcements per month, and you should see those starting before the short course. You may unsubscribe at any time from the mail list BUT DO NOT DO THAT BEFORE THE SHORT COURSE IS OVER, or you will miss information about the course that is sent out to registrants, including the Zoom information.
Available Spaces: 999
Past Events
- Uncommon Material Combinations & Processing Methods for Improved Performance & New Applications of Common Polymers by Prof. Gary E. Wnek, Case Western Reserve University (May 18, 2026)
- Hierarchical Materials Through 3D Printing and Molecular Design by Prof. Emily Davidson, Princeton University (April 22, 2026)
- ECOBIOMAXX™: Biobased, Biodegradable Polyurethane Platform by Dr. R. S. Bezwada, Bezwada Biomedical LLC (March 19, 2026)
- Plastics Know No Bounds: Engineering Polymers for Satellites in Outer Space by Prof. T. E. Long, Arizona State University (February 4, 2026)
All Past Events
Latest News
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