UH & UW Materials Research and Education Consortium (MRE-C)

The University of Hawaii at Mānoa (UH) and University of Washington's (UW) Materials Research and Education Consortium (MRE-C) is focused on developing advanced nano-to-macroscale defect-bearing and doped materials for emerging energy technologies. The vision of the UH-UW Seed PREM, is to bring Materials Science and STEM participation by underrepresented groups (URGs), in particular Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) and women, to equity, by creating a pathway that recruits and retains participants and keeps them on track towards degree attainment. MRE-C implements a multifaceted and integrated approach to recruitment of student participants, using on/off-campus diversity resources and a MRE-C website. We envision the UH-UW PREM partnership will develop the foundation necessary for increasing participation in materials science and STEM at undergraduate and later graduate level by underrepresented minority groups.

The research and education initiatives encompass:

• Outreach to K-12 schools, particularly that serve NHPI and minority students
• Strong student dual-mentoring by both UH and UW faculty, including individualized professional development plans;
• Annual in-person faculty/student research exchanges, complimented by regular virtual exchanges;
• UH-UW co-development of teaching materials and an annual student symposium.

The partnership directly impacts research and education output at UH by increasing the number of students prepared for opportunities in materials research. The PREM Seed develops a sustainable pipeline to increase participation of underrepresented minority graduate students at UW. In addition, the outreach efforts to K-12 schools drives sustainable long-term growth for underrepresented groups participation in STEM, and enhances visibility and public appreciation of materials science.