Brookhaven Lab and University of Delaware begin joint initiative

Through this partnership, scientists from both institutions will conduct collaborative research on rice soil chemistry and quantum materials.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and the University of Delaware (UD) have begun a two-year joint initiative to promote collaborative research in new areas of complementary strength and strategic importance. Though Brookhaven Lab and UD already have a tradition of collaboration, especially in catalysis, this initiative encourages partnerships in strategic areas where that tradition does not yet exist. After considering several potential areas, a committee from Brookhaven and UD selected two projects—one on rice soil chemistry and the other on quantum materials—for the new initiative. For each project, one graduate student based at Brookhaven and one graduate student from UD will work with and be supervised by a principal investigator from each respective institution. The research, to start in October 2019, is funded separately by the two institutions. Brookhaven funding is provided through its Laboratory-Directed Research and Development program, which promotes highly innovative and exploratory research that supports the Lab’s mission and areas for growth.

>Read more on the NSLS-II at Brookhaven Lab website

Image: Principal investigators from Brookhaven Lab and the University of Delaware (UD) will collaborate on two different research projects through a new joint initiative. Brookhaven’s Peter Johnson (left) and UD’s Stephanie Law (second from left) will measure the energy level spectrum of a topological insulator, a new type of material that behaves as an insulator internally but as a conductor on the surface; Brookhaven’s Ryan Tappero (second from the right) and UD’s Angelia Seyfferth (right) will study how toxic and nutrient metals are distributed in rice grain.