Franklin D. Gilliam Jr. UNCG &  Harold L. Martin, Sr. NCA&T  Michael Rettie

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Nov. 21, 2022) – A new partnership between the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development (DEVCOM) Soldier Center and the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering at Gateway Research Park will develop advanced nanoscale materials for soldier protection that promise to be lighter, faster, safer and stronger than ever before.

Officials with DEVCOM, the Joint School, its two academic parents, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and the University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG), and federal and state government announced the new development at a Nov. 21 media availability on the Gateway campus.

The Innovative Collaborative Laboratory for Nanotechnologies to Empower Future Soldier (ICONS), initiated by a $1.05-million cooperative agreement from the DEVCOM Soldier Center, is the only collaborative lab of its kind in North Carolina and the first established with a historically Black college or university (HBCU) or minority-serving institution anywhere in the nation. ICONS will be co-led by two JSNN professors, Kristen Dellinger, Ph.D., in the Department of Nanoengineering at N.C. A&T, and Tetyana Ignatova, Ph.D., in UNCG’s Department of Nanoscience.

“This is a unique opportunity for JSNN’s students to engage in collaborative research that advances the technologies needed to support soldiers and other military-relevant applications,” said Sherine Obare, Ph.D., JSNN dean. “And with JSNN’s proximity to several North Carolina military bases, our researchers can directly connect with military personnel and veterans to understand the needs of soldiers to develop solutions from the users’ perspective.”

ICONS will focus on the research and development of sustainable material solutions for the “Future Enabled, Invisible, Sustained and Enhanced Soldier.” Research teams will produce nanomaterials that can be integrated into yarn and woven fabric clothing for soldiers and used as additives for helmets and other protective devices. ICONS will also utilize JSNN’s nanodevice fabrication facilities to design and build highly sensitive and selective sensors to detect various chemical hazards.

“The rich history of N.C. A&T and UNCG and JSNN’s unique ability to produce a diverse cadre of students with transdisciplinary training spanning science and engineering, who are prepared to develop technologies to protect soldiers on the battlefield, aligns with our mission, and we look forward to a long-lasting partnership,” said Douglas Tamilio, director of the DEVCOM Soldier Center.

“We are excited to partner with two outstanding universities in N.C. A&T and UNC Greensboro, and their combined research and teaching strengths through JSNN,” said Ramanathan Nagarajan, the Army’s senior research scientist for Soldier Nanomaterials. “ICONS provides access to a diverse pool of S&T talent with the training and expertise needed to develop innovative materials breakthroughs to empower the Future Soldiers.”

About JSNN
The Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN) is an academic collaboration between North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C. A&T) and The University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNC Greensboro). A $56.3 million, 105,000 square foot state-of-the-art science and engineering research facility, JSNN builds on the strengths of each institution to offer innovative, cross-disciplinary graduate programs in the emerging areas of nanoscience and nanoengineering. JSNN’s research focus areas include: Synthetic Biology, Nanomaterials: Molecular Structures and Devices, Computational Nanotechnology, and Environmental Science and Sustainability. JSNN’s mission is to be a catalyst for breakthrough innovations that provides high-impact academic, industry and government research outcomes.

About DEVCOM Soldier Center
The DEVCOM Soldier Center, located in Natick, MA, is committed to discovering, developing and advancing science and technology solutions that ensure America’s warfighters are optimized, protected, and lethal. DEVCOM Soldier Center supports all of the Army’s Modernization efforts, with the Soldier lethality and Synthetic Training Environment Cross Functional Teams being the DEVCOM Soldier Center’s chief areas of focus. The center’s science and engineering expertise are combined with collaborations with industry, DOD, and academia to advance soldier and squad performance. The center supports the Army as it transforms from being adaptive to driving innovation to support a multi-domain Operations Capable Force of 2028 and a MDO Ready Force of 2035. DEVCOM Soldier Center is constantly working to strengthen Soldier’s performance to increase readiness and support warfighters who are organized, trained, and equipped for prompt and sustainable ground combat. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) outreach and mentoring the next generation of scientists and engineers is an important part of the mission of DEVCOM Soldier Center. The mentoring of students by Army scientists and engineers benefits the students and their communities. It also increases young people’s awareness of potential Army job opportunities and helps provide the Army with potential new talent, helping to fuel innovative ideas that benefit the nation’s warfighters and the nation as a whole.

About North Carolina A&T State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is the nation’s largest historically Black university, as well as its top ranked (Money magazine, Best Colleges). It is a land-grant, doctoral university, classified as “high research” by the Carnegie Foundation and a constituent member of the University of North Carolina System. A&T is known for its leadership in producing graduates in engineering, agriculture and other STEM fields. The university was founded in 1891 and is located in Greensboro, North Carolina.