Scientists and engineers at The University of Texas at Austin and at Mexican research institutions are collaborating in nanotechnology and materials research with the International Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (ICNAM).

In 2003 Mexico's President Vicente Fox and Larry R. Faulkner, president of the University, initiated the center when Fox visited the campus later that year. The creation of the institute is well aligned with the university's Latin America initiative and it offers The University of Texas at Austin the opportunity for close collaboration in nanotechnology with several centers of excellence in Mexico. The center is aimed to organize workshops in nanotechnology and materials science, create networks of researchers and promote the participation of industry in Texas and Mexico. It also provides training courses on new techniques available within the facilities of The University of Texas at Austin, particularly those of the Texas Materials Institute. The center will have the potential to create cross-border commercial enterprises.

The Mexican institutions involved include the Center on Advance Materials (CIMAV), and the National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT). This program will also help The University of Texas at Austin reinforce programs to promote science and engineering among the Hispanic population in Texas. Many of the Latin American scientist involved in this institute will also participate in outreach educational programs aimed at K-12 students of Hispanic background. Collaborative programs such as the ICNAM are key parts of the university's Latin American initiative, which seeks to extend the university's leadership in the area.