The Materials Research and Education Consortium, based at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, hosted its research and education collaborative partners from the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at the University of Washington (UW) in spring 2025. The consortium engages in interdisciplinary research that fosters key breakthroughs in materials research and education important for sustainability on remote island communities.
“We are committed to continuing to grow materials science research and education offerings to all students at UH through this unique partnership with UW,” said Godwin Severa, the project principal investigator and a researcher in the Hawaiʻi Institute of Geophysics and Planetology at the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology.
Connecting with Hawaiʻi’s middle and high school students
The second half of the visit was dedicated to educating middle and high school students at Hawaiʻi public schools about materials science through hands-on activities, interactions with scientists and presentations utilizing the UW-developed “Nanocamp” materials science modules. UH and UW students led the NanoCamp activities at six Hawaiʻi schools: ʻIlima Intermediate, Waipahu High, Kaiser High, University Laboratory School, Kaimuki Middle and McKinley High. More than 650 students participated in the materials science activities.
“Launching the program with these activities was critical for our members to get to know each other, learn to work together, develop detailed research plans, and appreciate the diverse perspectives that each of us bring to the partnership,” said Lilo D. Pozzo, Boeing-Roundhill Professor in Chemical Engineering at the University of Washington, and project co-investigator. “The outreach activities with K–12 schools cemented our motivation to support growth of materials research in Hawaiʻi and to serve its communities.”
Elevating material science research
The consortium partners aim to boost research for clean energy and sustainability, elevate material science research and STEM education at both undergraduate and graduate levels, broaden related education through new courses and workshops, and integrate local knowledge and insights to material science education.
The first half of the spring visit was focused on workshops on energizing materials science research and education in the partnership and included faculty presentations and discussions on current focus area activities and future plans. Research focus area working sessions and laboratory tours with the UW faculty and graduate students further clarified future collaborative activities. The activities concluded with a poster session, where students presented their research work and engaged with peers and faculty.
The consortium is funded by the National Science Foundation’s Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials and is comprised of 12 UH Mānoa faculty and 14 UW faculty.
—By Marcie Grabowski
