The Jackson State University (JSU) and University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) Partnership in Research and Education for Materials (PREM) is a collaborative initiative aimed at addressing disparities in STEM education and workforce participation for underrepresented minorities (URMs), particularly African-Americans. With African-Americans comprising 98% of Mississippi's minority population and 37% of its citizens, JSU is uniquely positioned to attract and retain minority students, especially as the fifth-largest Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and the only urban university in the state.

This PREM partnership leverages the resources of UCSB’s Materials Research Laboratory (MRL), an NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC), to advance materials research at JSU while fostering innovation, education, and diversity. By combining the strengths of both institutions, this program aims to address scientific issues of national and global priority and train the next generation of materials scientists through research, education, and outreach.

Key Objectives of the JSU-UCSB PREM Program:

  • Increase STEM participation among minority students: Provide opportunities for URMs to engage in materials science research at JSU and UCSB, equipping them with the skills necessary for scientific inquiry and discovery.

  • Foster interdisciplinary collaboration: Bring together faculty from both institutions to form a multi-institutional, interdisciplinary team tackling innovative materials research and daily life problems.

  • Strengthen graduate programs at JSU: Enhance JSU’s MS and Ph.D. programs in materials science by creating joint courses, attracting minority graduate students, and expanding research capabilities.

  • Expand K-12 STEM awareness: Promote materials science through education and outreach to K-12 students and the local community.

  • Collaborative training programs: Establish cross-institutional advising for graduate students, with research experiences at both JSU and UCSB.

Educational and Research Enrichment Activities:

  1. Collaborative Graduate Advising: Students will be jointly mentored by JSU and UCSB faculty, with opportunities to conduct research at both institutions.

  2. Recruitment Initiatives: Target programs like Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) and HBCU-UP to increase the pool of minority STEM students.

  3. Specialized Training for URM Students: Offer workshops, journal clubs, visiting speaker series, and professional development opportunities.

  4. Summer Research Experience: Provide JSU students with hands-on research experiences at UCSB through the Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, which includes housing, stipends, and travel allowances.

By utilizing UCSB’s world-class facilities and fostering a collaborative research environment, this partnership will position JSU as a center of excellence in advanced 2D and 3D materials research while significantly impacting diversity and outreach efforts at UCSB.

Research Area 1

Bio-Inspired 3D Nanocomposites

This project focuses on creating nanocomposites with superior mechanical strength and toughness inspired by biological systems, using advanced strategies for material design and manufacturing.
Research Area 2

Air-Stable All-Inorganic Perovskites

This research develops optoelectronic materials with enhanced stability for applications in light-emitting devices and photovoltaics.
Research Area 3

Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs) Based Heterostructures

Explores mixed-dimensional materials combining 2D TMDs and other structures to advance electronic, photonic, and sensing applications.

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