The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a Project Grant of $448,967 under the Office of International Science and Engineering (CFDA Number 47.079) to the University of Rochester. The award, titled "IRES: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH TO YIELD STIMULATING TRANSNATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN LATTICE DYNAMICS (CRYSTAL DYNAMICS)", will fund a collaborative research program that provides undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge materials chemistry research at prestigious Italian institutions, including the University of Turin and the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. The project focuses on studying lattice dynamics to enhance the understanding of the relationship between atomic structure, lattice dynamics, and bulk material properties, with applications in areas like materials chemistry, semiconductor engineering, and the pharmaceutical industry. The program aims to develop the next generation of globally aware and culturally fluent STEM professionals by recruiting students, including those from underrepresented communities, with no prior international experience and offering them unique opportunities to perform world-class research while building an extensive international collaborative network.