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What is PREM?

Building Capability in Materials Research

The Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials (PREM) program fosters long-term collaborations between universities and NSF’s Division of Materials Research (DMR)-supported centers. It enhances research opportunities through faculty and student exchanges, student mentoring and professional development, educational opportunities and training in state-of-the-art experimental, theoretical and computational materials development techniques. PREM supports students, postdocs, and faculty while advancing materials research and education.

Engaging Talent

We focus on identifying, recruiting and supporting a cohort of talented individuals in materials science through targeted outreach, mentorship, professional development and research engagement.

Fostering Growth

Our outreach and partnership initiatives ensure a collaborative environment that empowers long-term growth and a broad spectrum of perspectives that strengthen our field.

Impacting our World Through Materials Science

Our members conduct interdisciplinary research and develop new knowledge and technologies that impact the fields of biomedicine, energy, nanotechnology, electronics, and sustainability.

Our Community

Meet the talented researchers and educators driving innovation in materials science

Vincent Crespi

Vincent Crespi

Distinguished Professor of Physics, Materials Science and Engineering, and Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University

Sulin Zhang

Sulin Zhang

Professor, The Pennsylvania State University

Sean Kerwin

Sean Kerwin

Director, Texas State University

Nikoleta Theodoropoulou

Nikoleta Theodoropoulou

Associate Professor, Texas State University

Richard Mu

Richard Mu

Tennessee State University

Deep Jariwalla

Deep Jariwalla

Associate Professor, University of Pennsylvania

Ting Cao

Ting Cao

University of Washington

Thomas Epps

Thomas Epps

Chief Science Officer, Lignolix, Inc

Seth Fraden

Seth Fraden

Professor, Brandeis University

Lei Qian

Lei Qian

Fisk University

Xiaodong Xu

Xiaodong Xu

Boeing Professor of Physics, University of Washington

Conrad W. Ingram

Conrad W. Ingram

Clark Atlanta University

Horacio Vasquez

Horacio Vasquez

Professor, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Ye Cao

Ye Cao

Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Arlington

Jorge L. Colón

Jorge L. Colón

Professor, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras

Jerald  Dumas

Jerald Dumas

Associate Professor, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Michael Sailor

Michael Sailor

Professor, University of California San Diego

Przemyslaw Dera

Przemyslaw Dera

Jorge L. Colón

Jorge L. Colón

Professor, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras

Andre Schleife

Andre Schleife

Associate Professor, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Ania Bleszynski Jayich

Ania Bleszynski Jayich

Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara

Virginia Lorenz

Virginia Lorenz

Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Ronald Redwing

Ronald Redwing

Associate Teaching Professor, The Pennsylvania State University

Saiful Khondaker

Saiful Khondaker

Professor, University of Central Florida

Xiao-Qian Wang

Xiao-Qian Wang

Nikoleta Theodoropoulou

Nikoleta Theodoropoulou

Associate Professor, Texas State University

Nicholas Pinto

Nicholas Pinto

Professor, University of Puerto Rico - Humacao

Maren Roman

Maren Roman

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Xiaodong Xu

Xiaodong Xu

Boeing Professor of Physics, University of Washington

Igor Vasiliev

Igor Vasiliev

Professor, New Mexico State University