In this project, funded by the MPS-LEAPS (Launching Early-Career Academic Pathways) Program and managed by the Division of Chemistry, Professor Tej B. Limbu and his students at the University of Houston-Clear Lake will perform studies focused on the development of a highly sensitive and reliable sensing technique based on the interaction of light and matter to detect trace levels of hazardous chemicals in the environment. Detecting such environmental pollutants remains a major challenge due to the high cost and limited sensitivity of current detection technologies. To address this, Professor Limbu and his students will design and investigate a novel sensing platform that integrates advanced nanomaterials, specifically gold nanostructures and two-dimensional titanium carbide (MXenes), to enhance light-matter interactions and significantly improve the cost-effectiveness and detection sensitivity of the technique. Additionally, the research will explore optical detection mechanisms to better comprehend their role in chemical sensing. The project will involve students in hands-on experimental research, providing opportunities to develop skills and experience that support success in STEM education and careers. Professor Limbu and his students will synthesize two-dimensional titanium carbide (MXene) and integrate it with plasmonic nanostructures in a state-of-the-art architecture to design and optimize a multimodal-enhanced Raman scattering (MERS) substrate capable of ultra-sens