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

国际研究合作和全球参与的劳动力发展对于应对纳米科学和纳米技术的复杂挑战至关重要。该项目的目标是通过功能纳米材料领域的国际合作研究培训、网络和指导，为美国学生参与者提供全球视野和专业成长机会。该项目将通过与日本高知工业大学(KUT)的积极研究参与，每年为佛罗里达国际大学(FIU)的6000名研究生和本科生提供高质量的教育和研究经验。每个学生将在夏天花10周的时间在KUT研究小组工作。该项目将影响总共18名美国学生，特别是代表不足的少数族裔学生，通过纳米科学和纳米技术方面的国际合作研究培训，为专业发展提供全球视角和研究机会。它将有助于发展一支具有高素质研究技能的多元化和参与全球的劳动力队伍。该项目还将通过一系列精心设计和结构良好的征聘、甄选、出发前、旅行后、研究培训和专业发展活动，帮助扩大参与和影响招收和留住任职人数不足群体的学生。参与的学生的反馈和评估将为教师和学生有效参与国际研究合作和劳动力发展提供指导。功能纳米材料因其前所未有的化学和物理性能以及潜在的应用前景而引起人们的极大兴趣。在过去的二十年里，功能纳米材料的合成及其特殊性质的控制方面有了快速的发展，使得纳米材料在纳米电子学、能源、环境和生物医学方面具有独特的应用。在材料合成和器件开发的同时，各种表征手段，如高分辨电子显微镜、X射线光电子能谱、扫描探针显微镜、表面增强拉曼光谱、共焦显微镜等，使我们能够探索功能纳米材料物理化学性质起源的基础研究。然而，在纳米材料能够在实际应用中充分发挥潜力之前，还有几个关键的挑战需要解决。该项目将在跨学科和国际合作的努力下，解决纳米材料研究领域的一些关键需求。研究并建立纳米材料与器件应用之间的结构-性能关系。该项目将能够更好地控制功能纳米材料的结晶度和表面功能，更好地了解物理化学性质的来源，并可能进一步实现先进的电子、光子、电化学和传感设备。这一项目将产生的知识对于纳米材料的合成、表征和应用所需的突破是至关重要的。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.