The broad goal of this award is to enhance the materials science research and education program at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) by expanding the existing collaboration between the Center for the Science and Engineering of Materials (CSEM) at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). It focuses on developing highly trained undergraduate and master's students for careers in research via a comprehensive program involving scientific research, workshops and seminars, and faculty mentoring and advising. The program will be called the CSULA-Caltech Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials (PREM) Collaborative.
The materials research emphasis will focus on the development and application of new materials. Specifically, they will focus on three research subprojects: 1. Solvent-Resistant Microfluidics. 2. The Study of Drug Release Using the Self-Assembly of Fluoroalkyl-Ended Poly(ethylene glycol) by NMR Methods of Relaxation, Self-Diffusion and Microimaging. 3. Ir and Pt Complexes Tethered to Nanoparticles as Singlet Oxygen Sensitizers and Quenchers.
In terms of intellectual merit, this collaboration brings together well-qualified researchers with diverse interests in an interdisciplinary setting to examine materials science problems in a creative and novel approach. The facilities at CSULA and Caltech are sufficient to conduct the proposed work.
In order to integrate more faculty from CSULA into the PREM program, a yearly SEED grant program is proposed. This program will be a competitive internal grants program and will provide funding for creative small research projects, student stipends and travel, and supplies. Faculty awarded funding will be eligible for continued funding throughout the duration of the PREM program.
The educational program will consist of a student research program, research training workshops and scientific seminars, and academic advising and mentoring. Students will be designated as PREM fellows and will participate in the three research subprojects. Fellows will participate in yearlong workshops on topics such as careers in materials science and chemistry, conducting scientific research, and ethics in research. Students will be continually evaluated as to their academic progress and course advisement will occur prior to each quarter of instruction. A summer research experience for academically talented high schools students is also proposed in collaboration with three local minority high schools (Roosevelt, Garfield, and Wilson) with over 95% Latino enrollment.
