The Research and Training Network (RTN) COLLECT (Collective electronic States in Nanostructures) was established by the European Commission (EC) on September 2002 with a four-year grant. The network focuses on a broad spectrum of research items linked to collective effects at the nanoscale in semiconductor systems and one of its main goals is to promote training through research of young researchers. The network comprises 8 groups: 6 from Europe and 2 from US (see www.rtncollect.org). The participation of US groups to this European initiative was made possible by an agreement between the European Commission and the NSF. The two US groups participate to the network activities thanks to the funding received by NSF.

This Year, the third annual meeting of the consortium was hosted by Professor Aron Pinczuk at Columbia University from October 21st and October 22, 2005. The agenda of the two-day meeting included scientific presentations of COLLECT group leaders and COLLECT young researchers hired thanks to the COLLECT funding and of other US and European junior scientists working within COLLECT. The meeting was very successful with a participation of about 30 people. In order to highlight the overlap between some of the COLLECT research activities and the goal of the NSEC center at Columbia University, three presentations were given by Columbia University Professors and NSEC Members Jim Yardley, Philip Kim and Andy Millis.