Two new collaborative research clusters focusing on sustainability and environmental issues will build on innovative research already under way at UNT and bring the total number of active research clusters at work at the university to seven.
Scientists from the materials science and engineering, biological sciences, chemistry and engineering technology departments will concentrate on the properties of plant materials and how they might be adapted to create new bioproducts. And researchers from the philosophy and religion studies, biological sciences, studio art, and library and information sciences departments will establish a long-term ecological research site in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve in Chile, building on UNT’s strength in biocultural conservation and environmental science.
UNT’s collaborative research clusters are funded through a $25 million commitment by the university announced last year as part of a long-term effort to bolster research, strengthen the state’s economy and develop technology vital to addressing today’s most pressing needs. The clusters are enhancing and expanding innovative research by bringing together faculty from across disciplines. The development of each cluster involves hiring new faculty members, including senior-level researchers with international reputations.