St. Olaf College received a $222,580 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Division of Materials Research (CFDA 47.049 – Mathematical and Physical Sciences) effective October 1, 2025, through July 31, 2026. The award funds fundamental research to develop a predictive framework for understanding stress focusing in thin elastic materials, specifically determining when buckled sheets form sharp, singular features versus smooth configurations. The research employs controlled experiments using polymer films subjected to constrained geometries to measure and quantify stress and strain condensation patterns in the absence of applied tensile loads. The findings are expected to have scale-independent applicability across technologies ranging from graphene films to food packaging to deployable satellites.
The grant incorporates substantive educational and workforce development components that extend beyond core research activities. The project will train two PhD students who mentor undergraduate and high school laboratory participants, and includes a structured outreach program providing six-week summer research internships for high school teachers from Central New York. These educational initiatives align with NSF's commitment to strengthening the Nation's scientific enterprise by building research capacity and broadening participation in the mathematical and physical sciences.