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“Experimenta con PREM” (meaning “Let’s Experiment with PREM”) is a two-week summer research program at the University of Puerto Rico for high school students (HS). Experiment with PREM showcases materials science as an inclusive discipline that covers diverse interests and competencies, including materials characterization, device fabrication, soft matter, crystallography, and both experimental and theoretical-computational approaches. Within this context, atomic force microscopy is one of the most valuable techniques for characterizing nanomaterials. For the 2025 summer camp, Surfmera America Inc. partnered with the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao to offer AFM experiences to high school students. The students prepared their AFM probes, characterized a surface with a bit pattern similar to a compact disk, and performed nanolithography. After completing the experimental acquisition, the students prepared a report that included a theoretical background and surface image analysis. A student survey reveals great satisfaction with the AFM experience. This partnership proved to be an enhanced experience for the future STEM students' development. 

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been consistently related to the formation of senile amyloid plaques mainly composed of amyloid β (Aβ) peptides. The toxicity of Aβ aggregates has been indicated to be responsible for AD pathology. One scenario to decrease Aβ toxicity is the development of effective inhibitors against Aβ amyloid formation. In this study, we investigate the effect of gallium nitride nanoparticles (GaN NPs) as inhibitors of Aβ40 amyloid formation using a combination of biophysical approaches. Our results show that the lag phase of Aβ40 aggregation kinetics is significantly retarded by GaN NPs in a concentration dependent manner, implying the activity of GaN NPs in interfering with the formation of the crucial nucleus during Aβ aggregation. Our results also show that GaN NPs can reduce the amyloid fibril elongation rate in the course of the aggregation kinetics. It is speculated that the high polarization characteristics of GaN NPs may provoke a strong interaction between the particles and Aβ40 peptide and in this way decrease self-association of the peptide monomers to form amyloids. 

Abstract A poly(triaryl amine) thin film field effect transistor was investigated in air with ionic liquid (IL) gating for the first time. The transistor retained a high‐on/off ratio of ~700 and mobility of ~10⁻²cm²/V‐s. When compared to a transistor based on the conducting polymer polyaniline under similar operating conditions, it was found to exhibit superior performance. Significantly low‐operating voltages (±1 V) enhances the possibility of its use in organic electronics. The device was successfully tested for binary operation, and we demonstrate its suitability for use in low‐power consumption electronic circuits.