Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Materials Research, awarded MIT a $619,200 Project Grant effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030, under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049). This award supports fundamental research on localization and delocalization phenomena in flat band electronic materials—a class of quantum materials that exhibit electron dynamics positioned between localized and itinerant behavioral paradigms. The research combines material discovery and synthesis with advanced characterization techniques including thermodynamic and transport measurements, X-ray spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, and computational modeling to identify and characterize the strength and nature of electronic correlations in flat band systems.

The research deliverables encompass the identification and comprehensive evaluation of new correlated quantum states and electronic phenomena in flat band materials, with outcomes expected to advance fundamental understanding of electronic matter in solids and enable pathways toward development of new quantum information-relevant materials. The project integrates material synthesis, advanced spectroscopy, scattering techniques, and theoretical modeling across the physics, chemistry, and materials science disciplines. Deliverables include publications of research findings, enhanced scientific communication within the research community and to the public, and educational opportunities at the intersection of physics, chemistry, and materials science, supporting the NSF's core mission to promote progress in mathematical and physical sciences and strengthen the Nation's scientific enterprise.