Planning: PREC: UTEP-CSOE Collaborative for the Separation, Detection, and Remediation of Rare Earth Elements

University Of Texas At El Paso, El Paso TX

Investigators

Abstract

In this planning grant, funded by the Chemistry Division at NSF, Professors Skye Fortier and Elizabeth Day from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) will collaborate with the NSF Center for Synthetic Organic Electrochemistry (CSOE) to develop a partnership that could form the basis of a future submission to the Partnerships for Research and Education in Chemistry (PREC) program. This grant provides crucial support for the initial stages of conceptualization, planning, and collaboration, all aimed at shaping a competitive and transformative PREC proposal. Among the planned activities are joint educational workshops, focusing on advanced and cutting-edge analytical techniques. Student engagement is a cornerstone of their approach. Throughout the planning grant, students will play pivotal roles, actively participating in scientific presentations, poster sessions, group discussions, and hands-on research and data collection. The commitment to student involvement extends to a broader mission: the development of strategies that bolster the recruitment, retention, and degree attainment of underrepresented groups across the participating institutions. In doing so, the team aims to foster a more diverse, inclusive, and vibrant scientific community. Professors Fortier and Day are collaborating with the NSF CSOE in developing novel electrochemical methods for the facile detection and separation of rare earth elements. In particular, their mutual interests converge on the development and utilization of organic synthesis for the advancement of new electrochemical methods and systems. The role of CSOE will be to serve as a close scientific partner, bolstering the proposed research initiatives through their expertise in electrochemistry. The planning grant will offer UTEP and CSOE investigators the chance to explore and cultivate projects that truly align with shared interests and objectives to develop scientific thrusts that propose truly innovative and transformative science. Planned activities include collaborative educational workshops that will emphasize advanced and leading-edge analytical methods. A key pillar of the strategy is the active engagement of students. Throughout the planning grant period, students will assume central roles, actively contributing to scientific presentations, poster sessions, group discussions, and practical involvement in research and data collection. Student involvement extends beyond these activities; it encompasses a broader mission. The team aspires to develop strategies that strengthen the recruitment, retention, and academic achievement of students from underrepresented groups within their participating institutions. Their ultimate aim is to cultivate a scientific community that is more diverse, inclusive, and dynamic. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.