The Center for Sustainable Energy (ND Energy) at the University of Notre Dame has joined forces with over 150 university-based institutes around the country to tackle the impact of climate change. Known as the University Energy Institute Collaborative (UEIC), this nationwide network of energy researchers and experts will address critical challenges through infrastructure, policy, climate research, and workforce development. Their goal is to develop a resilient energy system that will withstand extreme weather conditions and natural disasters.
"This is a great opportunity for ND Energy to join other university-based energy centers and build a national platform for demonstrating the University’s commitment to solving today’s energy issues,” said Peter C. Burns, Massman Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, director of ND Energy, and faculty advisor for the energy studies minor. “This collaborative also allows us to create a unified voice that will resonate across state lines.”
Through this first-of-its-kind partnership, members of the UEIC will combine their resources to ensure a resilient, accessible, and affordable energy future for all. Additionally, the collaborative will help members grow the depth of their research opportunities for faculty, education programs for students, and drive energy policy. Having access to a broad network of energy experts could help develop research collaborations that may not otherwise be formed and career development opportunities for students in areas that may never be considered.
“UEIC members are educators and researchers like us, so having the opportunity to meet with them regularly enables the development of joint programs and activities that will support the United States’ energy system,” said Ginger E. Sigmon, managing director of ND Energy. “Joining this collaborative will certainly benefit our students and contribute to strengthening the Energy Studies minor and other educational programs for our future energy leaders.”
One benefit for Notre Dame would be for students in the energy studies minor, which is housed in the College of Engineering and open to undergraduate students in all majors. Administered by ND Energy, the goal of the minor is to prepare students to become successful leaders who understand the complexities of the world's energy challenges. ND Energy also leads a large cohort of energy-interested students through its Student Energy Board, outreach programs, and undergraduate and graduate research fellowships, which will also benefit from the partnership with the collaboration.
The UEIC was founded by Carnegie Mellon University’s Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation and the Colorado School of Mines’ Payne Institute for Public Policy and is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
About ND Energy:
ND Energy is a University Center whose mission is to build a better world by creating new energy technologies and systems and educating individuals to help solve the most critical energy challenges facing the world today. For more information, visit the ND Energy website at energy.nd.edu or contact Barbara Villarosa, Business and Communications Program Director, at bvillaro@nd.edu or 574-631-4776
Originally published by at research.nd.edu on September 08, 2021.