HBCU-RISE: Enhancement of Research Infrastructure for the Development of Nanoelectromechanical Systems (NEMS) Devices and Materials

在美国国家科学基金会的支持下，诺福克州立大学将加强该机构的研究基础设施，并促进材料研究中心材料科学与工程博士课程的实施。该项目支持纳米机电系统（NEMS）设备和生物医学应用材料领域的增强研究能力和课程修改的发展。通过加强课程，包括纳米机电系统相关内容，为学生和博士后研究人员提供专业发展活动，购买设备以促进拟议的研究，以及让K-12学生参与STEM活动，为培养这些新兴领域的博士生，特别是代表性不足的少数民族提供支持。智力优势：该项目支持纳米机电系统材料和生物医学应用设备的加工研究。努力包括发展等离子体纳米阵列生物传感器、机械可调双曲元表面和纳米悬臂生物传感器阵列；三维纳米电极在神经传感中的电化学-力学耦合研究。通过该项目，新一代无标签生物传感器将通过结合弯曲石墨烯结构的表面增强拉曼散射衬底实现。此外，NEMS悬臂谐振器阵列将被开发并与生物相容性纳米材料和多种单克隆抗体相结合，以提高前列腺癌筛查的敏感性和特异性。更广泛的影响：该项目将加强诺福克州立大学的材料科学课程，包括纳米机电系统等新兴主题。将促进研究能力的扩大，改善对优质博士生和教师的招聘和保留，并加强与大学和工业界的伙伴关系。通过让代表性不足的少数族裔K-12学生参与STEM外展活动，将建立STEM领域的学生管道，最终目标是激励年轻人攻读STEM领域的学位。这项研究将促进对纳米结构新功能的理解，如前列腺癌筛查。这项研究还将改进电化学传感电极的设计，增加植入式生物医学传感装置的使用寿命，降低疾病诊断和医疗保健的成本。

With National Science Foundation support, Norfolk State University will strengthen the institution's research infrastructure and facilitate implementation of a doctoral program in Materials Science and Engineering in the Center for Materials Research. The project supports the development of enhanced research capabilities and curricular modifications in the area of Nanoelectromechanical Systems (NEMS) Devices and Materials for biomedical applications. Support is provided to train Ph.D. students, especially underrepresented minorities, in these emerging fields through the enhancement of the curriculum to include nanoelectromechanical systems - related content, professional development activities for students and post-doctoral researchers, the acquisition of equipment to facilitate the proposed research, and engagement of K-12 students in STEM activities. Intellectual Merit:The project supports research on the processing of Nanoelectromechanical Systems materials and devices for biomedical applications. Efforts include the development of plasmonic nano-array biosensors, mechanically tunable hyperbolic meta-surfaces, and nano-cantilever biosensor arrays; and studies of electrochemicalmechanical coupling of 3-D nanoelectrodes in neural sensing. Through this project, new generation label-free biosensors will be realized via Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering substrates incorporated with curved graphene structures. Moreover, NEMS cantilever resonator arrays will be developed and integrated with biocompatible nano-materials and multiple monoclonal antibodies to improve the sensitivity and specificity of prostate cancer screening. Broader Impacts:The project will enhance the Materials Science Curricula at Norfolk State University to include emerging topics such as Nanoelectromechanical Systems. The expansion of research capabilities will be facilitated, improving the recruitment and retention of quality doctoral students and faculty, and strengthening partnerships with universities and industry. By exposing underrepresented minority K-12 students to engaging STEM outreach activities, the pipeline of students in STEM fields will be established, with the ultimate goal of inspiring youth to pursue degrees in STEM fields. This research will lead to an enhanced understanding of nanostructures for novel functionalities such as prostate cancer screening. The research will also lead to improved electrochemical sensing electrode designs, increasing the lifetime of implantable biomedical sensing devices and reducing the cost of disease diagnostics and health care.