With National Science Foundation support, Norfolk State University will strengthen the institution's research infrastructure and facilitate implementation of a doctoral program in Materials Science and Engineering in the Center for Materials Research. The project supports the development of enhanced research capabilities and curricular modifications in the area of Nanoelectromechanical Systems (NEMS) Devices and Materials for biomedical applications. Support is provided to train Ph.D. students, especially underrepresented minorities, in these emerging fields through the enhancement of the curriculum to include nanoelectromechanical systems - related content, professional development activities for students and post-doctoral researchers, the acquisition of equipment to facilitate the proposed research, and engagement of K-12 students in STEM activities.
Intellectual Merit: The project supports research on the processing of Nanoelectromechanical Systems materials and devices for biomedical applications. Efforts include the development of plasmonic nano-array biosensors, mechanically tunable hyperbolic meta-surfaces, and nano-cantilever biosensor arrays; and studies of electrochemicalmechanical coupling of 3-D nanoelectrodes in neural sensing. Through this project, new generation label-free biosensors will be realized via Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering substrates incorporated with curved graphene structures. Moreover, NEMS cantilever resonator arrays will be developed and integrated with biocompatible nano-materials and multiple monoclonal antibodies to improve the sensitivity and specificity of prostate cancer screening.
Broader Impacts: The project will enhance the Materials Science Curricula at Norfolk State University to include emerging topics such as Nanoelectromechanical Systems. The expansion of research capabilities will be facilitated, improving the recruitment and retention of quality doctoral students and faculty, and strengthening partnerships with universities and industry. By exposing underrepresented minority K-12 students to engaging STEM outreach activities, the pipeline of students in STEM fields will be established, with the ultimate goal of inspiring youth to pursue degrees in STEM fields. This research will lead to an enhanced understanding of nanostructures for novel functionalities such as prostate cancer screening. The research will also lead to improved electrochemical sensing electrode designs, increasing the lifetime of implantable biomedical sensing devices and reducing the cost of disease diagnostics and health care.
