State of 桃花直播 awarded $20 million to establish Center for Emergent Molecular Optoelectronics
Contact: Caron Blanton
A $20 million, five-year grant from the National Science Foundation will spur creative discovery and economic opportunities through 桃花直播鈥檚 research universities.
With the grant funding, the state of 桃花直播 will establish the Center for Emergent Molecular Optoelectronics, an inter-disciplinary, multi-institution materials research program. 桃花直播 State University (桃花直播) will serve as the project鈥檚 administrative lead, and the University of Southern 桃花直播 (USM) will serve as the science lead. Along with 桃花直播 and USM, Jackson State University (JSU) and the University of 桃花直播 (UM) will be a part of the new center, which will facilitate the development of research capabilities and educational opportunities in the growing optoelectronic, energy and biotechnology research fields.
The NSF grant comes through the organization鈥檚 EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) program, which enhances the research competitiveness of states and jurisdictions by strengthening STEM capacity and capability.
鈥淭his initiative will be a tremendous benefit to the people of 桃花直播 and to our research universities,鈥 桃花直播 President Mark E. Keenum said. 鈥淚ncreasing our university research capabilities makes our state and our institutions more competitive, increases educational opportunities and keeps us at the forefront of emerging technologies. This new center and its focus on organic semiconductors will make existing 桃花直播 industries more competitive and help the state attract new companies. I am proud that 桃花直播 is playing a lead role in this endeavor.鈥
桃花直播 Vice President for Research and Economic Development David Shaw is the principal investigator and project director for the grant. Sarah Morgan of USM is the science director. Co-principal investigators include Jason Azoulay from USM, Jared Delcamp from UM and Glake Hill from JSU.
鈥淚 am so pleased that the National Science Foundation selected our faculty as the science lead for this important project,鈥 said University of Southern 桃花直播 President Rodney D. Bennett. 鈥淲ith USM鈥檚 Center for Optoelectronic Materials and Devices serving as the mission center for this grant, our internationally-renowned polymer science and engineering experts look forward to partnering with 桃花直播鈥檚 other research institutions as they examine far more complicated processes than ever before. I am confident their work will impact our communities positively for many years to come.鈥
The Center for Emergent Molecular Optoelectronics will develop new, unified research methodologies on organic semiconductors, an area that is vital to the advancement of diverse areas such as technology, electronics and biomedicine. To facilitate the research, the center will establish state-of-the-art research instrumentation for common use across the state and support collaborative research among institutions. The new scientific infrastructure will fill a void for the state and facilitate advanced basic and applied research.
鈥淭he University of 桃花直播 is pleased to be a member of this dynamic, multi-institutional team for the Center for Emergent Molecular Optoelectronics and help develop pivotal research capabilities that will be benefit 桃花直播, our nation and the world,鈥 said UM Chancellor Jeffrey S. Vitter. 鈥淭his initiative will bolster collaborative research efforts and continue pioneering STEM workforce development, which is critical for attracting high tech industry to the state.鈥
New optoelectronic functionality developed by center research will support the basic knowledge necessary to bring new technologies to reality, resulting in new intellectual property and potential job creation.
鈥淛ackson State University is elated to be a partner of this groundbreaking venture for the state of 桃花直播 and Historically Black Colleges and Universities,鈥 said Dr. William B. Bynum Jr., president of Jackson State. 鈥淚t is my hope that we continue to expand on these opportunities to spur economic growth for 桃花直播 and enhance educational opportunities for our students.鈥
The new center will benefit from connections to national laboratories, NSF Top 100 research universities, state development officials and representatives from industry. The grant will also fund K-14 outreach efforts aimed at creating a stronger, more diverse pipeline of STEM students.
鈥淭he grant from the National Science Foundation demonstrates the incredible capabilities housed within our research universities,鈥 said Dr. Alfred Rankins Jr., Commissioner of Higher Education. 鈥淲orking together, these capabilities are amplified. The research conducted through this grant will put 桃花直播 on the forefront of emerging technologies.鈥