This NSF Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials (PREM) project will build and support a long-term partnership between the Interdisciplinary Materials Research and Education Laboratory (IMREL) at Fayetteville State University (FSU), and the Center for High Resolution Neutron Scattering (CHRNS) at National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The IMREL and CHRNS investigators will conduct collaborative research in several areas with common interests to understand the structure-processing property relationship of nanomaterials using neutron scattering techniques.

This IMREL-CHRNS PREM (IC-PREM) project targets to promote and strengthen the materials research capacity at IMREL through collaborations with scientists at CHRNS who are specialized in neutron scattering. Neutron scattering is a powerful and versatile method in studying the structure and dynamics of materials. Faculty members will be able to conduct cutting-edge research at CHRNS using the state-of-the-art neutron scattering facilities. Underrepresented minority students will travel with faculty for the on-site research, or they will attend research training in the summer internship program. This project will raise awareness of research opportunities available at national user facilities for STEM faculty in multiple disciplines at FSU and promote their engagement in research through interdisciplinary collaborations.