IRES: Materials Innovation Collaborative

About This Grant

This IRES project provides U.S. undergraduate and graduate students an opportunity to engage in materials science research at the Okinawa Institute for Science (OIST) in Japan. The students spend 5 weeks (graduates) or 10 weeks (undergraduates) at OIST participating in collaborative research topics, working broadly in materials for sustainability and quantum information. This initiative is important in furthering the education of U.S. students by cultivating their interests in different scientific disciplines, academic institutions, and international venues to develop global awareness and an appreciation for different cultural perspectives. The Materials Innovation Collaborative IRES project promotes the design, creation, and understanding of novel materials and systems that address global challenges in sustainability and quantum science. To address these national priorities, synergistic expertise in state-of-the-art synthesis, simulation, characterization, and testing is leveraged at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and OIST. IRES students participate in collaborative research between UCSB and OIST through international research visits focused on sustainable polymers, soft and conducting materials, bio-based polymers for advanced manufacturing, pyrochlore magnets, and Kagome metals. Every year, the project supports 4 undergraduate students and 4 graduate students who travel to Okinawa, Japan for the research experiences. UCSB graduate students taking part in research at OIST are recruited based on collaborative research topics, working broadly in materials for sustainability and quantum information. Undergraduate students are recruited from UC universities to participate in the summer undergraduate IRES program. This IRES project provides training for the next-generation workforce in advanced science and engineering fields that underpin translational technology of national importance, such as sustainability and quantum computing. The international component of the research program also provides students with cultural perspectives and the opportunity to develop a global network in science. 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.