TxState-UT PREM Center for Intelligent Materials Assembly (CIMA)

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Texas State University (TxState) is one of the largest Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in the U.S., the fourth largest university campus in Texas, and the flagship of the TxState University System, with nearly 38,000 students (33,000 undergraduates). The current representation of 39% Hispanic, 11% African American, and 46% first-generation students reflects the population of the state of Texas. As a Partnership for Research and Education in Materials (PREM), TxState is collaborating with The University of Texas at Austin (UT) Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC), namely, the Center for Dynamics and Control of Materials (UT-CDCM). This ensuing TxState-UT partnership will create the PREM Center for Intelligent Materials Assembly (CIMA). The PREM CIMA will promote recruitment, retention, and degree attainment of a diverse student cohort with a pathway into advanced degrees and careers in materials science. The PREM CIMA will offer students high impact research experiences, mentorship by TxState and UT faculty and students, personnel exchanges including biannual joint research conferences, professional development opportunities and a supportive community. A key element of building a robust pipeline will be early recruitment of first- and second-year STEM majors to become ‘PREM Associates.’ Students will develop confidence and a materials science identity through effective mentorship, research engagement and community development. Retention will be augmented by the students’ transition to ‘PREM Researchers’ status where career development workshops, exposure to the R1 research environment at UT, and experience in presentation and publication of research results will prepare students for interdisciplinary materials careers following degree attainment as ‘PREM Graduates.’ Over 60 undergraduate students (20 Researchers and 40 Associates) and 15 graduate students (10 Researchers and 5 Associates) will participate annually, supported by the PREM CIMA. Research results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, professional conferences, online presence, and community outreach. The research goal of the PREM CIMA is to create new materials based on the assembly of organized molecular and nanoscale structures. The TxState-UT PREM CIMA will utilize a collaborative model in which “PREM Researchers” are the unifying link between the TxState and UT research teams. The geographic proximity of the partners will facilitate collaborative projects and exchange. The proposed research has been organized into two main thrusts. Thrust 1, entitled ‘Reconfigurable Soft Materials’ centers on the templated assembly of macromolecular and nanocomposite systems through reversible covalent bonding or non-covalent interactions to form materials whose equilibrium states can be modulated via photothermal effects, photoisomerization, redox processes, or nucleic acid-enabled remodeling. Thrust 1 aligns with one of UT-CDCM’s Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs), specifically IRG 1, with focus on multifunctional, reconfigurable networks of nanoparticles, polymers and organic molecules that respond to external stimuli. Thrust 2, entitled ‘Control of Nanostructure for Energy and Electronics’ concentrates on the use of chemical synthesis, laser-based materials processing, and epitaxial growth to control solid-state nanostructures to develop materials for catalysis, energy storage, memory, electronics, and photonics. Synergy in Thrust 2 is derived from collaboration with UT-CDCM IRG 2 faculty with expertise in nanocrystal synthesis, molecular beam epitaxy of semiconductors, and solid-state device fabrication. The proposed research will create advanced materials for applications that include biomedicine, water purification, chemical fuel generation from renewable energy sources, and nanoelectronics.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.