PREM Center for Quantum Material Innovations and Educational Excellence (CQ-MIEE)

The University of Central Florida (UCF) is one of the largest minority serving institutions (MSI) in the nation. UCF ranks second amongst all institutions in bachelor’s degrees awarded to underrepresented minority (URM) students. The partnership between UCF and the University of Washington (UW) Materials Research Science and Engineering Center(MRSEC) aims to provide cutting-edge materials research and educational training for URM students at high-school, undergraduate, and graduate levels.

The paradigm of early engagement is built into the recruitment strategy that will develop a steady pipeline of high school students from Title I high schools around UCF. Undergraduate and graduate students will be recruited through large interdisciplinary and introductory classes in Materials Science, Physics and Chemistry, visits to regional colleges and universities, and interfacing with various campus organizations such as, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.

Integrating these 3 recruitment strategies together will be an overarching umbrella of community building activities that will focus on strengthening the growing cohort of UCF materials researchers, including online and peer-level mentoring for students, social events and culturally sensitive training required of all UCF PREM faculty. A training program emphasizing diversifying opportunities to achieve degree attainment is envisioned.

UCF PhD students will be co-mentored by UW faculty and will spend extended periods of their thesis work at the UW mentor’s lab, while UCF UG students will participate at UW’s REU program. UCF faculty and students will participate in UW’s annual “MEM-C all hands” meeting, expanding their research horizons. The annual PREM symposium at UCF will allow faculty and students, prominent speakers in the field, and students from nearby universities and PREMs to present their latest discoveries.

Cross exchange of UW students and faculty to UCF will occur annually to foster close ties and synergistically nurture a collaborative research environment for both partners.

The UCF-UW PREM envisions collaborative research training of URM students and to make discoveries related to synthesis, structure, and properties of quantum materials in three interdisciplinary research groups (IRGs). Collectively, these IRGs represent exciting research pathways exploring the fundamental and applied aspects of quantum materials. The first IRG, Electronic Structure and Light Matter Interaction in Layered Quantum Materials, will unravel ultrafast processes that happen in the timescale of one femtosecond i.e., one-billionth of a nanosecond, in multiple layered quantum materials.

In the second IRG, Catalysis on Topological Materials, new catalysts that speed up the rate of chemical reactions will be developed by understanding the role of unique electronic states on the surfaces of various quantum materials. Finally, the IRG Quantum Material – Biological Materials Interfaces, will investigate the underlying physical mechanisms that govern quantum material-biological material interactions.

The three IRGs represent key scientific thrust areas that have the potential to impact future technologies based on quantum materials including energy-efficient communications and computing, production of novel chemicals, and screening and discovery new medicines. Ultimately, the UCF-UW PREM will create a sustainable pipeline of well-trained URM students in materials focused disciplines.

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.