Clark Atlanta University’s (CAU) departments of chemistry and physics in partnership with researchers at Spelman College and Cornell University were awarded a $3.6 million research and education grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant will establish a Partnership for Research and Education in Materials (PREM) program to develop next-generation materials for electronic devices, over a six-year period, from September 2021 through August 2027.
Clark Atlanta’s Chemistry Professor, Conrad Ingram, and Physics Professor Xiao-Qian Wang, along with Cornell University Professor, Darrell Schlom, spearheaded this effort which involved contributions from multiple researchers from the three institutions, to land the grant. CAU and Spelman College will collaborate with researchers at the Platform for the Accelerated Realization, Analysis, and Discovery of Interface Materials (PARADIM) at Cornell University. PARADIM is also a National Science Foundation-funded Materials Innovation Program directed by Professor Schlom.
“This grant will provide a great opportunity for Clark Atlanta University and partnering institutions to significantly strengthen the research footprint in the area of materials science,” said president George T. French, Jr., Ph.D. “It will also provide opportunities for an increased number of CAU students to pursue academic and professional careers in STEM fields. We find this extremely exciting.”
The grant will allow PREM researchers to focus on the design, synthesis, and characterization of new oxide-based interface materials, towards the next generation of electronic, magnetoelectronic, and optoelectronic devices.
The PREM project’s framework elements will include engaging undergraduate and graduate students in materials science research, seminars, and hands-on workshops, throughout the academic year and summers, supported by post-docs, and faculty at the three institutions.
The PREM pathway will increase the number of STEM B.S and Ph.D. degrees attainment by African Americans, the predominant population served by the two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) involved.
“A focus on diversity of students, faculty, and partners – paired with the revitalization of under-resourced research – is the foundation of PREM and has been the source of many successful outcomes,” said Debasis Majumdar, director of the NSF PREM program. “It expands national innovation capacity and a much needed, highly trained and diverse workforce, propelling U.S. leadership in STEM fields.”
For more information: Clark Atlanta University
