This Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) award supports a graduate training program at Cornell University in a highly interdisciplinary area of materials research that is central to advances in many areas of science and technology - the nanoscale control of surfaces and interfaces. This program provides doctoral students drawn from seven academic disciplines with hands-on, interdisciplinary training in the experimental and theoretical techniques necessary for forefront research at the nanoscale. The program is based on a dynamic, student-centric educational framework that transitions students from the coursework-based educational model typical of K-16 education to the self-directed learning necessary for professional R&D environments. As an integral part of their training, students perform interdisciplinary research on topics as diverse as the production of single molecule transistors, the design of non-volatile memory, the development of "plastic" electronics, and the fabrication of ultrasensitive chemical and biological sensors. This program addresses the national workforce needs in materials research documented by a recent National Academies study. The study identified the field of nanomaterials - the focus of this traineeship - as the area of most rapid growth globally. By educating a new generation of nanomaterials researchers and performing fundamental research in this rapidly growing area, this program increases U.S. competitiveness. The program also addresses the underrepresentation of women and minorities in the field of materials through direct partnerships with two Historically Black Colleges/Universities, a substantial recruiting program and an extensive undergraduate research program. 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.
— was developed at Cornell University. A large fraction of today’s research involves nanoscale control of materials in one form or another, and research achievements in this highly interdisciplinary area are central to advances in many areas of science and technology. Students involved in this graduate training program were drawn from seven academic disciplines to perform interdisciplinary research on topics as diverse as the production of single molecule transistors, the design of non-volatile memory, the development of "plastic" electronics, and the fabrication of ultrasensitive chemical and biological sensors. Both the Fellow's research achievements and their education addressed national workforce needs in materials research and increased U.S. competitiveness. The program used an interdisciplinary, team-based approach to make major strides in the synthesis, understanding and control of two-dimensional materials. Since the isolation of graphene--a single layer of carbon atoms--in 2005, research into two-dimensional materials has progressed rapidly. While graphene possesses many unique properties, its metallic nature limits optoelectronic applications. Its semiconducting cousin, a single layer of molybdenum disulfide is a promising material for creating atomically-thin, highly-flexible optoelectronic devices. IGERT Fellows fabricated single-layer MoS2 transistors and studied their optoelectronic properties. The group also demonstrated a simple method for producing graphene transistors on a large scale. This research is an important step toward the incorporation of graphene into existing device-processing technologies--a requirement for any new material that is to be used on an industrial scale. The Cornell IGERT program has also made significant contributions to nanocrystal research -- a field that is strongly influenced by surface and interfacial properties. Nanoparticles have great potential as a material for low-cost, highly efficient photovoltaic devices and next-generation batteries. Both of these applications require precise control of the electrical properties of the nanoparticle material. IGERT researchers performed a systematic study on the effect of particle surface chemistry on electrical transport. The interfaces at nanoparticle surfaces are not well understood yet are of vital importance for understanding charge transport in nanoparticle devices. Collaborating with colleagues across campus, IGERT Fellows investigated the effect of a novel inorganic chemical surface treatment that produces nanoparticle materials hundreds to thousands of times more conductive than the more common organic surface chemistries. This work will enable the electrical properties of nanoparticle systems to be tailored for future energy technologies. The IGERT team also fabricated a new type of solar cell based on nanocrystals of lead sulfide and nickel oxide. The control of nanoscale surfaces is important in a variety of emerging technologies, and results from IGERT research are driving these applications forward. IGERT researchers developed a single nanoscale bit that can be replicated to make magnetic random access memory (MRAM), a kind of computer memory that can be manipulated not with charge current, but with spin current. Although several industrial and academic labs are developing competing types of MRAM, the IGERT device was unusual because it utilized multilayer stacks of Angstrom-thin layers of cobalt and nickel to create perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. This device brings MRAM closer to commercial viability by reducing the critical spin current necessary for writing. The IGERT team studied this new bit with both conventional low-frequency measurements and with techniques pioneered at Cornell. Similarly, the production of atomically flat silicon surfaces is a long-standing technological challenge, as atomic-scale roughness degrades the performance of transistors. IGERT researchers used a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy and vibrational spectroscopy to produce silicon surfaces of surprising and unprecedented smoothness with a simple aqueous etchant that selectively removes every other row of silicon. The chemical origins of this perfection were uncovered, in part, by a new spectroscopic technique that simplifies the analysis of the vibrational spectrum. The educational component of the IGERT program in the Nanoscale Control of Surfaces and Interfaces addressed a widely acknowledged shortcoming of graduate education: both industry leaders and the National Academies have criticized the standard model of graduate education for being too specialized and narrowly focused. While recognizing that an in-depth, independent research experience continues to be the most effective means to prepare bright and motivated people, the National Academies recommended broader academic preparation, instruction in career skills, and the opportunity for some students to obtain off-campus research experience (e.g., in project-oriented teams in industry-university collaborations). The program incorporated all of these recommendations. The IGERT program introduced a dynamic, student-centric educational framework that bridged the gap from core coursework to self-directed learning. Instead of rigid, semester-long courses in well established, faculty-chosen topics, the framework was composed of regularly scheduled, short modules presented in a variety of formats that addressed areas of specialized scientific and technical interest, "hot topics," and career advancement skills. The curriculum was dynamic, interactive and responsive.
