IRES Track 1: US-Japan Collaborative Research and Education Effort for Synthesis and Applications of Functional Nanomaterials

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International research collaboration and globally engaged workforce development are essential to tackle the complex challenges of nanoscience and nanotechnology. The goal of this project is to provide US student participants with a global perspective and opportunities for professional growth through international collaborative research training, networking and mentoring in the field of functional nanomaterials. This project will provide high quality educational and research experiences for 6 graduate and undergraduate students annually at Florida International University (FIU) through active research participation in collaboration with Kochi University of Technology (KUT) in Japan. Each student will spend 10 weeks in summer to work in a KUT research group. The project will impact total of 18 U.S. student participants, especially underrepresented minority students, with a global perspective and research opportunities for professional growth through international cooperative research training in nanoscience and nanotechnology. It will contribute to development of a diverse and globally engaged workforce with high quality research skills. The project will also help broaden the participation and impact the recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented groups through a series of well-designed and structured recruitment, selection, pre-departure, post-travel, research training and professional development activities. The participating students’ feedback and evaluation will provide guidelines for effective involvement of the faculty and students in international research collaboration and workforce development. Functional nanomaterials have been attracting much interest because of their unprecedented chemical and physical properties as well as potential applications. In the last twenty years, there is rapid development on synthesis of functional nanomaterials and control of their specific properties which enable unique applications of nanomaterials in nanoelectronics, energy, environmental, and biomedical applications. In parallel to the materials synthesis and devices development, various characterization tools such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning probe microscopy, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, confocal microscope have allowed us to explore the fundamental studies on the origin of the physiochemical properties of the functional nanomaterials. However, there are several key challenges need to be addressed before the nanomaterials can reach the full potential in the practical applications. This project will address some of the critical need in nanomaterials research field in an interdisciplinary and international collaboration effort. The structure-performance relationship between the nanomaterials and device applications will be studied and established. The project will enable better control of crystallinity and surface functionality of functional nanomaterials, better understanding the origin of the physiochemical properties, and could further enable advanced electronic, photonic, electrochemical, and sensing devices. The knowledge that will result from this project is critically needed for breakthroughs required for the synthesis, characterization, and application of nanomaterials.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.