Project Grant 2554351

The National Science Foundation Division of Chemistry awarded $591,929 to the University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc. on August 15, 2026, under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049) to fund research into low-oxidation-state main group chemistry as a replacement for transition metal species in industrial chemical manufacturing.

Dr. Gregory H. Robinson and Dr. Yuzhong Wang will investigate the substitution of rare and expensive transition metals such as gold, silver, platinum, and palladium with more affordable, less toxic, and earth-abundant elements including carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and silicon in industrially important molecules. A secondary objective addresses the development of synthetic strategies to prepare soluble silicon oxide molecular clusters, which inform understanding of silicon-etching dynamics in semiconductor chip production for artificial intelligence applications. Robinson will conduct outreach through science lectures delivered to primary and secondary school students at local schools and to residents of retirement communities.

The award supports student training in advanced chemistry research aligned with global competitiveness in the chemistry enterprise. Performance occurs at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, with a period of performance extending from the award date through July 31, 2029.