The National Science Foundation Office of Integrative Activities awarded the University of North Dakota $299,797 on January 15, 2027, under the EPSCOR Research Fellows program (Assistance Listing 47.083) to investigate how chemical composition changes and external pressure affect atomic structure and properties in correlated quantum materials.
The fellowship supports an assistant professor and graduate student training at the University of North Dakota, conducted in collaboration with Dr. Changyong Park at Argonne National Laboratory. The research combines chemistry, physics, and materials science with advanced X-ray methods to study materials under high pressure. The work will establish a quantitative framework using chemical and physical pressure as complementary probes to identify structural features governing electronic and magnetic behavior in strongly correlated quantum materials, enabling pressure as a predictive design tool for functional materials. The project combines controlled chemical substitution with in-situ high-pressure synchrotron X-ray diffraction, structural characterization, and physical property measurement to directly compare structural effects of chemical and physical pressure. Outcomes are intended to enable materials design for energy-related technologies and efficient use of critical raw materials while providing hands-on research training and strengthening STEM workforce development in North Dakota.
Performance extends through December 31, 2028, with work conducted at Lemont, Illinois.