BATON ROUGE - Southern University has been awarded a $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to establish the “Next Generation Composites Crest Center, or NextGenC3 on the university’s campus.
The center will focus on the development of cutting edge research on next generation composite materials and educational activities that will provide traditionally underrepresented minority students in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines with research experiences at a readily accessible advanced research facility.
“Southern University will use NextGenC3 as a tool to provide engineering and science education and research exposure to students from K-12 to the doctoral level,” said Dr. Eyassu Woldesenbet, Principal Investigator of the project and professor of Mechanical Engineering at Southern. “The Southern University-NSF Center will generate new knowledge necessary to advance the next generation composite materials to be used in structures for aerospace, naval, ground and space transportation.”
Composite materials are two are more materials that produce a superior material when combined with each other. The research will produce materials that are lightweight, strong, high-impact resistant and self healing.
Woldesenbet said an example of this research would be developing a material that will enable a car to repair its own surface from minor damage, such as a scratch.
NextGenC3 will also serve as a center of collaboration for scientists and researchers in institutions, research centers, national labs and industry around the country.
Southern has already received $3 million of the award to begin the establishment of the Center in the College of Engineering and in the Chemistry Department, Woldesenbet said.
Upon receiving approval from the NSF on scientific and technical merit, the university will receive $1 million in 2012 and another $1 million in 2013. A small percentage of the funds will go to Louisiana State University to support doctoral students.
“Receiving this grant means that Southern University is recognized as being capable of performing cutting-edge research with the involvement of its students and faculty,” said Woldesenbet.
Posted By: LaKeeshia Giddens
Tuesday, October 20th 2009 at 10:18AM
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