Four New York state small businesses have been selected to receive JumpStart awards to collaborate with the Cornell Center for Materials Research (CCMR) this spring semester.

The CCMR JumpStart program, funded by the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR), helps New York's small businesses develop and improve their products through university collaborations. JumpStart projects receive up to $5,000 in matching funds for project costs, including faculty and their research staff, facilities, services, supplies and materials. Thirty-one companies have benefited from this program since 2005.

"Once again we received a number of strong applications from which four excellent projects were selected by our JumpStart review board. I am confident these new collaborations will benefit the participating companies and the faculty research groups involved and will support economic growth in New York state as supported by NYSTAR," said John Sinnott, CCMR industrial programs manager.

This semester's projects:

• Cerion Enterprises LLC, Rochester, will collaborate with the research group of David Muller, associate professor of applied and engineering physics, to characterize its current proprietary nanoparticle materials and extend its technology using advanced electron microscopy techniques.
• Mag Energy AES, Bristol, will collaborate with David Caughey, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, to complete the aerodynamic design of a prototype vertical air and water turbine.
• Rigidized Metals Corp., Buffalo, will engage with Shefford Baker, associate professor of materials science and engineering, to develop new value-added metal coatings to complement its current product line.
• ZetrOZ LLC, Ithaca, will partner with Susan Ashdown and Margaret Frey, professor and associate professor, respectively, of fiber science and apparel design, to develop a prototype -- a wearable patch for transferring ultrasound energy into the skin for therapeutic applications.

For further details, including how to apply for fall 2010 projects (starting in September 2010), see the CCMR Web site at http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/industry/.