The Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) program, supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), provides resources to enhance the research capabilities of minority-serving institutions by integrating education and research effectively. Building upon the achievements of IDEALS I, the Phase II CREST Center for Interface Design and Engineered Assembly of Low-dimensional Systems (IDEALS II) aims to strengthen the nation's leadership in materials science. It focuses on frontier areas such as quantum materials, bioinspired reconfigurable materials, and photonic materials and technologies, with the goal of elevating the City College of New York (CCNY) as a leading research institution in these fields. IDEALS II organizes its innovative research activities into three synergistic interdisciplinary subprojects: Emergent Quantum Materials and Functions; Bioinspired Reconfigurable Materials to Scale; and Frontiers in Photonics: Materials, Phenomena and Devices. Researchers within IDEALS II are dedicated to discovering and designing new materials, developing sophisticated probing techniques, introducing novel applications, and generating intellectual property with significant scientific impact. The center also strives for far-reaching societal impacts by continuing to educate a community of scientists and engineers to transform the materials landscape globally. IDEALS II applies proven interventions from its first phase and introduces new strategies, focusing on enriching the educational experience, augmenting workforce training through recruitment, retention, and mentoring, and transforming the institution. Three long-term transformative institutional outcomes are pursued: enhancing the doctoral student body across CUNY science and engineering disciplines, growing Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering faculty ranks in materials research through a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, and elevating CCNY's research standing to successfully compete for large center grants.