IGERT: New Mathematical Tools for Next Generation Materials

这一综合性研究生教育和研究培训(IGERT)奖支持建立一个多学科、多机构的研究生培训计划，培训下一代材料科学的计算和分析工具。该项目将以德克萨斯农工大学为基地，与普莱里维尤农工大学、得克萨斯州立大学和其他六个学术机构合作。主要目标之一将是为博士生提供分析工具，并向他们灌输材料设计未来进步所需的广泛理解。研究主题包括通过结合纳米级组件和结合不同功能特性来设计新材料，以及通过结合原子和纳米级特性的知识来开发分析此类材料大规模行为的新方法。该项目利用了德克萨斯农工大学及其合作机构的一批尖端材料研究人员以及数学和计算方法方面的专家。培训计划将包括多学科课程、基于队列的学习和学生同处一地，以及旨在改善沟通和对社会和多样性问题的认识的活动。第一年研究小组之间的轮换将为学生培训提供一个跳跃的开始。主要院校之间的伙伴关系将使有兴趣和合格的硕士学生能够参与合作研究和选定的IGERT活动，这是招生计划的一个关键组成部分，以吸引高度多样化的合格学生群体。一个指导委员会将跟踪学生，并帮助学生根据他们的职业规划定制IGERT经验。IGERT是一个NSF范围内的项目，旨在应对培养具有跨学科背景、所选学科的深厚知识以及满足未来职业需求所需的技术、专业和个人技能的美国博士科学家和工程师的挑战。该项目旨在通过建立创新的研究生教育和培训新模式，在超越传统学科界限的合作研究的肥沃环境中，催化研究生教育的文化变革。

This Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT) award supports the establishment of a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional program for graduate training in next generation computational and analytical tools for materials science. This program will be based at Texas A&M University, in partnership with Prairie View A&M University, Texas State University, and six other academic institutions. One of the major goals will be to supply doctoral students with analytical tools and instill in them the broad-based understanding that will be needed for future advances in materials design. Research themes include design of new materials by incorporating nanometer-scale components and combining different functional properties, and development of new ways to analyze the large-scale behavior of such materials by incorporating knowledge of their atomic- and nanometer-scale properties. The program draws upon a group of cutting-edge materials researchers and experts in mathematics and computational methodology at Texas A&M and the partner institutions. The training program will include a multi-disciplinary curriculum, cohort-based learning with co-location of students, and activities aimed at improving communications and awareness of social and diversity issues. Rotations between research groups in the first year will provide a jumpstart for students training. The partnership between principal institutions will allow interested and qualified Masters students to participate in collaborative research and selected IGERT activities and is a key component of the recruitment plan to attract a highly diverse group of well-qualified students. A mentoring committee will track the students and help tailor students IGERT experience to their career plans. IGERT is an NSF-wide program intended to meet the challenges of educating U.S. Ph.D. scientists and engineers with the interdisciplinary background, deep knowledge in a chosen discipline, and the technical, professional, and personal skills needed for the career demands of the future. The program is intended to catalyze a cultural change in graduate education by establishing innovative new models for graduate education and training in a fertile environment for collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries.