Partnership for Research and Education in Materials:Fueling Opportunities for Successful and TransformativE Retention of Chemistry Majors (PREM to FOSTER-Chem) in Graduate Programs

该奖项是根据2021年美国救援计划法案（公法117-2）全部或部分资助。非技术性总结PREM到FOSTER化学联盟之间的首要目的佛罗里达A M大学（FAMU）和弗吉尼亚理工大学（VT）GlycoMIP是增加代表性不足的少数民族学生（URM）从科学硕士（MS）的FAMU的数量。在化学课程招生，保留，并在化学和相关领域的博士学位的实现。与GlycoMIP的拟议合作伙伴关系将使用新型聚合物材料作为FAMU学生与两所大学的初级和中级教师共同工作的基础，以建立一个新的研究平台，与学生建立更紧密的联系。通过研究，教学和导师制将PREM与FOSTER化学分支机构（教师，学生和工作人员）联系起来，将创建一个渠道，以招募和录取更多的URM学生进入STEM研究生课程。最终，该项目将使FAMU在聚合物研究方面取得领导地位，并制定国家标准，为URM学生成功过渡到博士课程并获得高级学位制定计划。这个PREM到FOSTER-Chem计划的主要影响将是产生三批研究生和本科生URM学生（约6名研究生和6名本科生），他们将在FAMU完成化学硕士学位并攻读博士学位。 来自弗吉尼亚理工大学FAMU化学和GlycoMIP的PREM到FOSTER-Chem研究团队将使用酚酞（PPLn）/酚酞（PPL）单体和聚合物来制备接枝物和与聚糖（如纤维素和葡聚糖）的共混物，从而创建混合半合成材料。聚（亚芳基醚砜）（PAES）中包含这些单体以及聚合物微结构将发生变化，以使用具有多种化学，物理和建筑特性的聚糖（GLY）实现不同的结构/功能特征，用于广泛的应用。PREM到FOSTER化学将允许FAMU和GlycoMIP教师合并专业知识，以实现以下研究目标：1）制备具有增强性能的接枝和共混PAES和GLY聚合物; 2）确定接枝含量对相形态和物理性能的影响; 3）PAES-g-GLY材料的电纺，研究构象变化和纳米结构形成; 4）建立PAES-GLY溶剂化体系和微相分离体系的粗粒模型; 5）通过静电纺异质结纳米纤维组装层状PAES-g-GLY/光催化剂纳米复合材料。GlycoMIP将通过合作研究项目，协助使用GlycoMIP/VT设施，为MS课程的学生提供共同建议，并为本科生提供支持，以支持化学系的FAMU教师在VT开展研究。在目前的工作预算的研究生将有机会成为GlycoMIP的一部分，并花时间在合作者的实验室。计划中的研究、GlycoMIP的加入和形成的合作伙伴关系将进一步提高对半合成复合材料在水净化、燃料电池或能量收集等各种应用中的理解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY The overarching purpose of PREM to FOSTER-Chem alliance between Florida A & M University (FAMU) and Virginia Tech (VT) GlycoMIP is to increase the number of underrepresented minority students (URM) from FAMU Masters of Science (M.S.) in Chemistry program enrollment, retention, and attainment of doctoral degrees in chemistry and related fields. The proposed partnership with GlycoMIP will use novel polymeric materials as the foundation for FAMU students to work jointly with junior and mid-career faculty at both universities to build a new research platform to connect more strongly with students. Linking PREM to FOSTER-Chem affiliates (faculty, students, and staff) through research, teaching, and mentorship will create a pipeline to recruit and matriculate more URM students into graduate programs in STEM. Ultimately, this project will allow FAMU to grow toward leadership in polymer research and toward a national standard to form programs for URM students to successfully transition into PhD programs and obtain advanced degrees. The major impact of this PREM to FOSTER-Chem initiative will be the production of three cohorts of graduate and undergraduate URM students (~6 graduate and 6 undergraduate students) completing a MS in chemistry at FAMU and enrolling in PhD programs. TECHNICAL SUMMARY The PREM to FOSTER-Chem research team from FAMU chemistry and GlycoMIP at Virginia Tech will create hybrid semi-synthetic materials using phenolphthalin (PPLn)/phenolphthalein (PPL) monomers and polymers to prepare grafts and blends with glycans such as cellulose and dextran. The inclusion of these monomers in poly(arylene ether sulfone) (PAES), as well as the polymer microstructures will be varied to achieve distinct structural/functional features using glycans (GLY) with versatile chemical, physical, and architectural properties for a wide range of applications. The PREM to FOSTER-Chem will allow FAMU and GlycoMIP faculty to merge expertise to accomplish the following research aims: 1) Prepare graft and blended PAES and GLY polymers with enhanced properties; 2) Determine the effect of graft content on phase morphology and physical properties; 3) Electrospin of PAES-g-GLY materials and study conformational changes and nanostructure formation; 4) Develop coarse-grained models for solvated and microphase separated PAE-GLY systems; 5) Assemble layered PAES-g-GLY/photocatalyst nanocomposite from electrospun heterojunction nanofibers. GlycoMIP will support FAMU Department of Chemistry faculty by collaborating on research projects, assisting with use of GlycoMIP/VT facilities, co-advising students in MS program, and providing support for undergraduate students to carry out research at VT. The graduate students budgeted in current work will be given the opportunity to be part of GlycoMIP and spend time at collaborators' labs. The planned research, incorporation of GlycoMIP, and formed partnerships will enhance further understanding of semi-synthetic composite materials for various applications such as water purification, fuel cells, or energy harvesting.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.