This grant provides travel support for the 19th US-Japan Conference on Composite Materials (CCM) from July 22-24, 2020 and visit to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Kakuda Space Center, on July 21, 2020, in Sendai, Japan. The 19th US-Japan CCM is the next in a series of conferences organized by the Japan Society for Composite Materials and the American Society for Composites to promote science of composite materials and provide a platform for the intellectual exchange between US and Japanese researchers. Composite materials research enabled development of ground-breaking technologies across a wide spectrum of industries such as aerospace, clean energy, and automotive, that are vital to the United States? economy, national security, and the nation's current standing as the world?s leading research- and technology-driven society. Early-career faculty from US universities will be the primary recipients of the travel support. A special emphasis will be placed on engagement of faculty from underrepresented groups and minority-serving institutions. The main theme of the 19th US-Japan CCM is mechanics of composite materials. For the first time, the US-Japan CCM will be collocated with the Euro-Japan Conference on Composite Materials, which is supported by the European Society for Composite Materials and Japan Society for Composite Materials. The award will provide a rare opportunity for the early career faculty from the US institutions of higher education to participate in the US-Japan and Euro-Japan CCM, visit the JAXA Kakuda Space Center and get a deeper perspective on the ongoing research and development in composite materials in Japan. Carefully devised group activities will promote intellectual exchange, development of international research and mentorship networks, and support professional success of the early career faculty from diverse backgrounds and institutions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.