"Synergy" is defined as "combined or cooperative action," which is why the founders of Clemson's new online journal chose to call their publication, Synergy: The Journal of Undergraduate Research in Engineering and Science. Synergy represents a collaborative effort between the Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers and Films (CAEFF) and Clemson's English department. The journal is made possible with grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Clemson University Innovation Fund.
Jane Jacobi, administrative director for CAEFF, is working with College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities faculty members Michael Neal and Sean Williams to create the online journal, which will involve students from institutions across the country in peer-reviewed journal management and provide a forum for interdisciplinary, undergraduate research. CAEFF, a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center, advances the science and technology of fibers and films, and promotes holistic, systems-oriented education of the next generation of scientists and engineers. While CAEFF's education program primarily imparts fundamental knowledge about fiber and film systems engineering, it also provides training in the communication skills necessary to facilitate discovery, refine understanding, enhance teamwork, and improve technology transfer.

A nationwide focus on improving engineering education by including undergraduates in the research enterprise and investing in their communication skills alerted Jacobi to the need for a journal that provided both a showcase for undergraduate research and training for student writers and editors. "If we want to prepare students for participation in the research community, then we must introduce them to the exercise of communicating their research, reviewing and being reviewed by peers, and other aspects of publishing and disseminating scientific information," Jacobi said.

While the journal's first issue will feature papers from CAEFF's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, it is not exclusively for Clemson students. A call for papers has been distributed to top engineering schools across the country.