The FIU Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering is pleased to announce its partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE) as an institution selected for their new initiative known as the “Partnership for Research and Education Consortium in Ceramics and Polymers” (PRE-CCAP). FIU faculty (Dr. Arvind Agarwal and Dr. Benjamin Boesl) will work alongside faculty and researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), Tennessee State University (TSU), Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC) and, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in a collaborative effort to create a pipeline for the next generation of students to embody the mission of the DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). This collaborative three-year effort between the nation’s top Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) seeks to transform national security through nuclear science applications by providing various opportunities to students. Through research opportunities across state-of-the-art labs at each school or internships at one of two DOE national labs, students will obtain the skills and training necessary for possible careers post-graduation within the field. At FIU, in addition to directly funding the various research projects related to advanced materials and ceramics, it will support undergraduate students as part of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU). Students from colleges and universities across the U.S will have the opportunity to work on a DOE sponsored research project in Plasma Forming Lab and Advanced Materials Engineering Research Institute (AMERI) where they work closely with faculty and other researchers for 10 weeks during the summer.  Additionally, the grant will provide specialized training for select South Florida school teachers to engage in novel research projects to incorporate in their classrooms and support K-12 outreach within the local community with hopes of targeting the rising generation of STEM leaders. Congratulations to the faculty onboard and we look forward to seeing what the future has in store!