NRT-QISE: Bridging the Gap Between 2D Quantum Materials and Engineering in STEM Education

二维量子材料的收敛领域作为具有新特性和从量子计算到可再生能源的潜在应用的材料的孵化器，其重要性正在迅速增长。然而，该国缺乏训练有素的劳动力，他们有足够的资格开发和商业化所产生的技术。这个国家科学基金会研究培训（NRT）奖给阿肯色州的大学将提供一个新的，跨学科的，可持续的教育经验，在二维量子材料和器件（2D-QMaD）的干学生通过一个整体的方法来研究生教育未来的科学家和工程师，包括技术知识和个人/专业的发展“软技能”。该项目将培训五十七（57）名硕士和博士生，其中包括二十七（27）名受资助的受训人员。这将是阿肯色州大学跨学科材料科学与工程（MSEN）研究生课程和MonArk Quantum Foundry（蒙大拿州立大学和阿肯色州大学之间的NSF资助合作伙伴关系，为2D材料和设备的开发开发一个类似铸造的环境。这项工作本质上是MSEN，物理学，电气工程以及化学，机械工程和计算机工程学科的桥梁。这项培训计划的独特指导原则主要可以分解为几个关键组成部分。 这些是：A）通过所需的研讨会课程纳入专业实践和软技能培训; B）创建和利用由高水平博士生领导和指导的行业启发的群体和小团队;以及C）强调创业和技术商业化教育。 这些专业技能通过D）核心和选修课程得到增强，该课程由来自11个支持部门和三所学校/学院的50多名教师开发和教授，E）由同一教师进行的综合研究通过借出材料进行实践软技能培训反馈到A部分。 学员将有机会学习和反馈广泛不同的研究课题和个人观点。我们的目标是培养学员谁成为科学，工程和创业之间的桥梁在快速增长的二维量子材料领域。拟议的受训人员课程（包括：量子力学;量子计算;量子传输;材料表征;和机器学习，除了材料核心课程）将促进量子材料领域的研究进展，更具体地说，在2D量子材料，同时给予受训人员所需的技能，使未来的发现。该项目将在MSEN研究生课程中创建一个新的永久性研究集中，2D-QMaD。NSF研究培训（NRT）计划旨在鼓励开发和实施大胆的，新的潜在变革模型，用于STEM研究生教育培训。该计划致力于通过全面的培训模式，创新，循证，并与不断变化的劳动力和研究需求保持一致，在高优先级的跨学科或融合研究领域有效培训STEM研究生。该项目由NRT和刺激竞争力研究的既定计划（EPSCoR）共同资助。 该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为是值得通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

The convergent field of Two-Dimensional Quantum Materials is rapidly growing in importance as an incubator for materials with new properties and potential applications from quantum computing to renewable energy. However, there is shortage of trained workforce in the nation that is sufficiently qualified to develop and commercialize the resulting technologies. This National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) award to the University of Arkansas will provide a new, interdisciplinary, and sustainable educational experience in Two-Dimensional Quantum Materials and Devices (2D-QMaD) for STEM students through a holistic approach to graduate education of future scientists and engineers, including development of both technical knowledge and personal/professional “soft skills”. The project will train fifty-seven (57) masters and doctoral students, including twenty-seven (27) funded trainees. This will be in direct partnership between the University of Arkansas’s interdisciplinary Materials Science and Engineering (MSEN) graduate program and the MonArk Quantum Foundry (an NSF funded partnership between Montana State University and the University of Arkansas to develop a foundry-like environment for the development of 2D materials and devices.) This work inherently bridges the disciplines of MSEN, Physics, Electrical Engineering, as well as Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, and Computer Engineering.The unique guiding principles of this traineeship program can primarily be broken down into several key components. These are: A) inclusion of professional practice and soft-skills training via the required seminar courses; B) creation and utilization of industry inspired cohorts and small teams led and mentored by upper-level doctoral students; and C) strong emphasis on education in entrepreneurship and commercialization of technology. These professional skills are enhanced by D) a core and elective curriculum developed and taught by over 50 faculty from 11 supporting departments and three schools/colleges, with E) integrated research by the same faculty that feeds back into component A by lending material for practicing the soft-skills training. The trainees will have the opportunity to learn and give feedback to widely varying research topics and individual points of view. The goal is to cultivate trainees who become the bridge between science, engineering, and entrepreneurship within the rapidly growing field of 2D quantum materials. The proposed curriculum for the trainees (including: quantum mechanics; quantum computing; quantum transport; materials characterization; and machine learning, in addition to the materials core courses) will facilitate research progress in the area of quantum materials and more specifically in 2D quantum materials, while giving the trainees the required skills to make future discoveries. This project will create a new permanent concentration of study, 2D-QMaD, within the MSEN graduate program.The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new potentially transformative models for STEM graduate education training. The program is dedicated to effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary or convergent research areas through comprehensive traineeship models that are innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs. This project is jointly funded by NRT and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).  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.