PREM Center for Ultrafast Dynamics and Catalysis in Emerging Materials (C-UDCEM)

该奖项的全部或部分资金来自《2021年美国救援计划法案》(公法117-2)。非技术摘要：中佛罗里达大学(UCF)是美国招生人数最多的大学之一，也是最大的拉美裔服务机构(HSI)之一，拥有27,244名拉美裔和非裔美国学生。在授予少数族裔(URM)学生的学士学位方面，它在所有院校中排名第二。UCF和华盛顿大学(UW)之间拟议的PREM合作伙伴关系将在材料方面开发一个充满活力的合作研究和创新教育培训计划，为15-20名URM研究生和本科生提供研究和教育机会。UCF和UW的一个跨学科研究团队将根据材料基因组倡议(MGI)提出的愿景，部署集成的理论和实验方法，以快速发现用于量子计算、低功率电子和新催化剂反应的先进材料。学生将得到共同指导，并将在两所学术机构进行研究。将组织互访、会议和工作坊，使参与社区管理的学生和来自周边社区学院和大学的社区管理学生受益。PREM计划将使UCF能够开发专注于加速新兴材料发现的资源和基础设施，同时与UW发展长期合作伙伴关系。UCF-UW伙伴关系下的研究成果将在同行评议的期刊和会议发言中传播。将通过夏季新兵训练营、专用门户网站和社交媒体平台进行外联工作。技术总结UCF-UW合作伙伴关系设想在尖端研究主题中对未被充分代表的少数族裔(URM)学生进行合作培训，以快速发现与材料合成、新物理现象的调查和操纵相关的发现，以及以理论为指导的对新型量子材料和催化剂的追求，与MGI密切相关。这一伙伴关系涉及两个跨学科研究小组(IRGS)。在第一个IRG中，时间和角度分辨光电子能谱将揭示包括二维范德华固体和二维磁体在内的新量子材料中的超快过程。这项工作的关键成果将揭示飞秒时间尺度上的重要动态过程，并将这一行为映射到许多不同的2D材料上。在第二个IRG中，将系统地在催化剂材料中引入包括点缺陷(例如氧空位)在内的各种缺陷，以使单位催化剂能够用于CO/烃低温氧化和CO2还原。这一努力的关键成果将导致加速合成稳定的、单部位多相催化剂材料的设计规则。UCF和UW世界级设施的独特合成、表征和测试能力将共同促进量子和催化剂材料基础科学的探索，并为思想交流、指导和多学科培训提供独特的机会。合作团队将通过实时视频电话会议、暑期实习和学生交换计划举行以研究为重点的小组会议。最终，该PREM计划将在材料研究方面取得根本性和快速的进展，同时使URM学生能够确定一条自信的道路，使他们在未来以材料为重点的学科的专业努力中取得成功。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。

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 University of Central Florida (UCF) is one of the largest universities in the USA by enrollment and is also one of the largest Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) with 27,244 (38%) of Hispanic and African American students. It ranks 2nd amongst all institutions in bachelor’s degrees awarded to underrepresented minority (URM) students. The proposed PREM partnership between UCF and the University of Washington (UW) will develop a vibrant collaborative research and innovative education training program in materials, providing research and education opportunities to 15-20 URM graduate and undergraduate students. An interdisciplinary team of researchers from UCF and UW will deploy integrated theoretical and experimental approaches for the rapid discovery of advanced materials for quantum computing, low power electronics and new catalyst reactions in line with the vision set forth in the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI). Students will be co-mentored and will carry out research at both academic institutions. Exchange visits, conferences and workshops will be organized to benefit participating URM students and URM students from surrounding community colleges and universities. The PREM program will allow UCF to develop resources and infrastructure focused on accelerated emerging materials discovery while developing a long-lasting collaborative partnership with UW. The research results under the UCF-UW partnership will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. Outreach efforts will be conducted via summer boot camp, a dedicated web portal, and social media platforms.Technical SummaryThe UCF-UW partnership envisions collaborative training of under-represented minority (URM) students in cutting edge research topics to make rapid discoveries related to materials synthesis, investigation and manipulation of new physical phenomena, and theory-guided pursuit of novel quantum materials and catalysts, closely aligned to the MGI. The partnership involves two interdisciplinary research groups (IRGs). In the first IRG, time and angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy will unravel ultrafast processes in new quantum materials including two-dimensi.onal (2D) van der Waals solids and 2D magnets. The key outcomes from this effort will reveal important dynamic processes in the femtosecond time scale and map this behavior across many different 2D materials. In the second IRG, various defects including point defects (e.g., oxygen vacancies) will be systematically introduced in catalyst materials to enable single site catalysts for low temperature CO/hydrocarbon oxidation and CO2 reduction. The key outcomes from this effort will lead to design rules for accelerated syntheses of stable, single-site heterogeneous catalyst materials. The unique syntheses, characterization and testing capabilities at UCF and world-class facilities at UW will jointly enable the exploration of the basic science of quantum and catalyst materials and provide unique opportunities for cross-fertilization of ideas, mentoring, and multidisciplinary training. The collaborative teams will hold research-focus group meetings via real-time video teleconferencing, summer internships and student exchange programs. Ultimately, this PREM program will make fundamental and rapid advances in materials research while enabling URM students to define a confident path towards their success in future professional endeavors in materials focused disciplinesThis 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.