Rowan U Students & Faculty Work to Green Pharmaceutical Companies
Students and faculty in Rowan University's (NJ) College of Engineering are working with pharmaceutical companies to help green their processes. Through EPA grants totaling over $200,000, the University is expanding its green engineering research to work with the pharmaceuticals to help them reduce waste and become more efficient. Current research focuses on minimizing the impacts of raw materials used in creating the products and reducing pollution.
Stony Brook U to Host Renewable Energy Research Center
Stony Brook University and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) has announced that SBU will host the Advanced Energy Center (AEC), which will support efforts to advance innovative energy research, education, and technology deployment with a focus on efficiency, conservation, and renewable energy. The commitment by NYPA includes $500,000 to support the operations of the AEC. Construction of the AEC building is expected to be completed by fall 2010.
U Delaware to Establish Energy & Env'l Policy Ctr in South Korea
The University of Delaware has signed an agreement with the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Free Economic Zone Authority to establish the UD Center for Energy and Environmental Policy campus in Daegu, South Korea. The agreement will allow for the development of multilateral relations and an exchange of scientific ideas. Collaborative research in the field will be conducted at the new campus.
U Kansas Receives $12M Grant to Build Green Technologies Facility
The University of Kansas School of Engineering has received a $12.3 million from the National Institute of Standards and Technology Construction Grant Program to build a green technologies research facility. The 34,600-square-foot Measurement, Materials, and Sustainable Environment Center, which will aim for LEED certification, will house research projects on the development of biofuels; remote sensing technologies used to monitor polar ice and glaciers; and development and testing laboratories for commercial avionics, sustainable materials, and advanced research in materials fracture and fatigue. The University must raise $6.5 million in matching funds for the project, which will total $18.8 million.
Dept of Energy Announces 5 University Wind Research Grants
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory and DOE’s Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program announced the selection of five additional states to each receive approximately $60,000 in funding per year for three years for activities supporting Wind Powering America's Wind for Schools project. These awards will provide universities, state institutions, and non-governmental organizations funding and technical support that will be used to develop educational programs to improve understanding of wind technology and its implementation using the Wind for Schools model. The university leads on the selected projects are Appalachian State University (NC), James Madison University (VA), Northern Arizona University, Pennsylvania State University, and University of Alaska.
Associated Press Covers Campus Green Poinsettia Initiatives
The Associated Press has published an article on initiatives at some U.S. institutions to grow poinsettias more sustainably. Institutions mentioned include the University of New Hampshire, Purdue University (IN), North Carolina State University, and the University of Florida.
Clemson U Researchers Receive Grant to Study Carbon Sequestration
Clemson University (SC) researchers have received an $891,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to study the storage of carbon dioxide in underground geological formations. The researchers will focus on carbon dioxide dissolved in saltwater at high pressure and how to keep it away from underground drinking water. They will also work with a professor from Stanford University (CA).
College Students Attend White House Youth Energy Forum
The New York Times has posted a blog on the White House Youth Clean Energy Economic Forum, which several campus members were able to attend. The Forum was held to begin building a framework for a green economy. The University of California, Berkeley was mentioned in the post.
Temple U Opens Center Focused on Diversity
Temple University (PA) has established a new center focused on diversity. The Academic Center on Research in Diversity launched earlier this year to promote faculty and student research on diversity. The Center will also hosts forums about diversity and reach out to the local community.
U Idaho Graduate Student Wins National Conservation Award
A graduate student from the University of Idaho has won the national William T. Hornaday Conservation Award from the American Society of Mammalogists. Jan Schipper is currently pursuing his doctorate degree at the University and has done a significant amount of work to improve the protection of mammals. One initiative he has led is to assess the status of the world’s 5,500 mammal species by working with organizations around the world.
2009 Moskowitz Prize for Socially Responsible Investing Announced
The 2009 Moskowitz Prize for Socially Responsible Investing has been awarded to a study on the complex relationship between corporate financial performance, corporate social performance, and social pressure. The winning paper, “The Economics and Politics of Corporate Social Performance” was written by David Baron of the Stanford University (CA) Graduate School of Business, Maretno Harjoto of Pepperdine University's (CA) Graziadio School of Business and Management, and Hoje Jo of Santa Clara University's (CA) Leavey School of Business.
Clemson U Receives Grant to Conduct Wind Turbine Research
Clemson University (SC) has received a $45 million grant from the Department of Energy and an additional $53 million in matching funds to build a wind turbine research facility. The facility will focus on developing large-scale turbines that can generate 5 to 15 megawatts, which currently do not exist in the US. The facility will be part of the Restoration Institute at the former U.S. naval base in Charleston.
Florida Gulf Coast U to Create Green Research Center
Florida Gulf Coast University has partnered with the John D. Back Foundation to create the Florida Gulf Coast Innovation Hub, a 1.2 million-square-foot research and development area. FGCU plans to build a facility at the Innovation Hub to study renewable energy, solar energy, alternative energy sources, biotechnology, green technology and other programs. One of the primary goals of the initiative is to attract businesses and universities with an interest in renewable energy, and spur growth in green jobs.
U Washington Selected to Test Smart-Grid Technology
Seattle City Light has chosen the University of Washington’s campus to test its smart-grid technology. The project will install energy monitoring equipment and other technology in two classrooms and two residential halls. The project will cost $9.6 million and is part of a national initiative from the Department of Energy to make the national energy grid more efficient.
U Memphis Professor Receives Grant for Biodiesel Research
University of Memphis (TN) professor Srikant Gir has been awarded a $500,000 grant to conduct research on biodiesel research and development. Dr. Gir is focusing on creating a smaller waste-into-fuel converter so that the process can be done in a more local way. He sees small businesses using it to convert vegetable oil and fallen leaves into energy.
U Nebraska Lincoln Receives $1.5 M for Organic Agriculture
The University of Nebraska, Lincoln has received a $1.5 million grant to conduct research exploring issues around organic agriculture. The grant is part of $19 million in funding awarded to universities across the country from the USDA’s “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative, which is designed to create local and regional food systems.
U Wisconsin Madison Prof Awarded Grant for Green Chemistry
Shannon S. Stahl, a professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison has been awarded a $747,166 grant for green chemistry research. Her research focuses on developing innovative approaches in chemistry and engineering to make the development of pharmaceuticals more environmentally friendly. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences awarded the grant as part of $16.4 million in research grants around the country.
California Awards $27M for Green Collar Job Training
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced the 34 recipients of $27 million in grants to jump-start the California Clean Energy Workforce Training Program (CEWTP), a state-sponsored green jobs training program. Under the this first phase of the program, anticipated to train 5,600 participants, workers will be prepared for hands-on jobs, such as installing solar panels and maintaining electric vehicles to computer programming and researching fuel cell technologies, to help develop the state’s low-carbon, clean energy economy of tomorrow. The following higher education institutions received a portion of the funding: Contra Costa Community College District, Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, Kern County College District, Long Beach Community College District, North Orange County Community College District, College of the Desert, Hartnell College, Imperial Valley College, Los Angeles Trade Technical College, Peralta Community College District, San Bernardino Community College District, and Solano Community College.
U Minnesota Receives $2.2 Million Grant for Biofuel Research
The University of Minnesota and BioCee, a university start-up company, have received a $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a bioreactor using bacteria embedded in a thin latex coating to produce hydrocarbon fuel. The funding is part of a larger $151 million pool of money being issued to institutions for renewable energy research.
Frostburg State U to Establish Green Energy Research Facility
Frostburg State University (MD) has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to fund the Renewable Energy Center’s self sufficient, off-the-grid building. The $856,350 grant will assist in purchasing research equipment and computers and employ researchers at the Sustainable Energy Research Facility. The Center will conduct research on the effectiveness of sustainable energy resources in Appalachia.
Ohio Governor Announces Nine New University Advanced Energy Ctrs
Governor Ted Strickland, together with Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric D. Fingerhut, has announced nine new Centers of Excellence in advanced energy, to be located at eight Ohio universities. The Centers will be committed to focusing their academic and research activities on advanced energy development to meet the requirements of Senate Bill 221, which mandates that 25 percent of all electricity sold in Ohio comes from advanced energy sources by 2025. The Centers will be located at Bowling Green State University, Case Western Reserve University, Central State University, University of Cincinnati, University of Dayton, The Ohio State University, Ohio University, and University of Toledo.
Willamette U Students Build Wind Turbine on Campus
Two students at Willamette University (OR) constructed a homemade wind turbine on top of the E.S. Collins Science Center to demonstrate do-it-yourself power capability. The turbine was built in the course of one year and the students hope it will be used to power an irrigation pump at a campus garden that supplies produce to the school's dining services. The construction of the turbine was funded by the Center for Sustainable Communities.
Congress Aids U Maine Presque Isle in Solar Project
The University of Maine at Presque Isle will receive $800,000 from Congress through the 2010 Energy and Water Senate Appropriations Conference Report for the UMPI solar energy initiative. The funding, which was secured with the help of Maine Senator Susan Collins, will allow the University to design and install photovoltaic solar panel arrays and an automated weather station to collect information on solar radiation levels.
U California Berkeley Commits to Green Chemistry
The University of California, Berkeley’s College of Chemistry has appointed Alexis T. Bell to be the Dow Chair in Sustainable Chemistry and has established the Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry. Bell is known for his pioneering work on protecting the environment with green chemistry. The new Center, which is a collaboration of the Haas School of Business, School of Law, College of Natural Resources, and School of Public Health, seeks to bring a multidisciplinary approach to research, education, and engagement in sustainable chemistry practice.
U California Merced Prof Receives Grant for Solar Energy Research
Professor David Kelley at the University of California, Merced has received a $1.3 million grant for research to reduce the cost of solar energy. The National Science Foundation grant will be used to help improve a device called the luminescent solar concentrator, a device that absorbs sunlight across a wide area and then re-emits it onto a small photovoltaic cell. Kelley will work with other UC Merced faculty to conduct the research.
U Delaware Launches Environmental Institute
The University of Delaware has launched the Delaware Environmental Institute (DENIN). The Institute's goals are to initiate interdisciplinary research projects that integrate environmental science, engineering, and policy; support interdisciplinary academic programs; forge partnerships among government agencies, nonprofits, industry, policymakers, and the public to address environmental challenges; and coordinate and sponsor University-based interdisciplinary initiatives.
U Delaware Signs Agreement for Wind Power
The University of Delaware and Gamesa Corporación Tecnológica—a Spanish wind company—have signed a two part agreement. The first is to install a 2 MW wind turbine to power the ED Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes next year. The second is to increase the University’s research in wind energy. The partnership will focus on off-shore potential, turbine corrosion, avian impacts, and policy in renewable energy.
U South Carolina Receives Grant to Research Carbon Storage
The University of South Carolina has received a $4.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to conduct research on the feasibility of storing carbon dioxide underground. The Earth Sciences and Resources Institute at the University will be conducting the research and will focus on the South Georgia Rift as a possible site to store carbon dioxide in deep saline aquifers.
U Wyoming Receives Grant for Carbon Center
The University of Wyoming has received a $1 million federal grant to build a regional carbon sequestration technology training center in Laramie. The University has conducted significant research on carbon sequestration and the center is intended to develop a workforce to carry out industry level sequestration. The grant is part of $8.4 million in funding distributed by the U.S Department of Energy for similar projects across the country.
Western Kentucky U Expands Biofuel Research
Western Kentucky University has announced plans to use a $500,000 federal budget line item to establish research that uses chemical reactions to create biofuels. The goal of the research is to find cheaper methods of converting agricultural products into biofuel. The research is being conducted in WKU’s Institute for Combustion Science and Environmental Technology.
Pennsylvania State U Receives $5.5 M for Clean Energy Centers
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has given Pennsylvania State University two grants, one for $2 million to create the Mid-Atlantic Clean Energy Applications Center and one for $3.5 million to create the Mid-Atlantic Solar Resource and Training Center. The Mid-Atlantic Clean Energy Applications Center will promote the adoption of clean energy technology through education and technical assistance, with an emphasis on net zero energy building technologies, combined heat and power, district energy management, and smart grid technology. The Mid-Atlantic Solar Resource and Training Center will increase the capacity of community colleges, universities, and training centers to prepare new and returning students for jobs in the solar industry.
U North Carolina, Chapel Hill Partners to Develop Off-Shore Wind Power
The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and Duke Energy have signed a contract to work together to harness wind energy off the coast of North Carolina. Duke Energy will pay for the turbines and their installation off the coast of the Pamlico Sound. UNC will conduct ongoing research in areas such as ecological impact, optimization of measuring and predicting the wind resource, and demonstrating turbine performance in tropical storm conditions. The project will help to examine the potential for off-shore wind energy in North Carolina.
US Dept of Energy Announces 2009 Solar Decathlon Winners
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced the winners of its 2009 Solar Competition which takes place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Team Germany, the student team from Darmstadt, Germany, won top honors by designing, building, and operating the most attractive and efficient solar-powered home. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign took second place followed by Team California, a group of students from Santa Clara University and the California College of the Arts, in third place. The 2009 Solar Decathlon challenged 20 university-led teams from the United States and as far away as Spain, Germany, and Canada to compete in 10 contests, ranging from subjective elements such as architecture, market viability, communications, lighting design, and engineering, to technical measurements of how well the homes provided energy for space heating and cooling, hot water, home entertainment, appliances, and net metering.
US Dept of Energy Invests in University-Led Wind Research Facilities
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu has announced new investments in three university-led wind energy research facilities. The Illinois Institute of Technology, the University of Maine, and the University of Minnesota will each receive up to $8 million. The three universities will use the funding to install a 1.5 MW turbine, two 10 kW and one 100 kW floating offshore turbine prototypes, and a 2.3 MW turbine research facility respectively. The three university-led consortia have been selected to improve land-based and offshore wind turbine performance and reliability, as well as provide career educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in wind energy technologies. The three competitively selected, university-led projects will include partners from private industry, state and local governments, and other universities.
Frostburg State U Renewable Energy Ctr Receives Federal Grant
Frostburg State University’s (MD) Renewable Energy Center has been awarded an $856,350 appropriation from the U.S. Department of Energy to fund the final steps in the establishment of its Sustainable Energy Research Facility (SERF), a green, self-sufficient, off-the-grid building designed for educational research on renewable energy in the Appalachian region. The funding will make it possible to purchase research equipment and computer hardware and software, as well as to employ researchers and student assistants. The research planned at SERF will study the effectiveness of sustainable energy resources in Appalachia. Using sensors to record wind and solar energy data at numerous locations, the data will be collected at SERF for processing and analysis, used to model, design and control integrated renewable energy supply systems. The ultimate goal will be to develop a knowledge-base for renewable and clean energy resources available in the region.
Green Chemistry Center at Queen’s U Receives $13.6 Million
Green Centre Canada, to be located at Queen's University (ON) in early 2010, has received $13.6 million in funding from the Ontario government. The Center hopes to transform Green Chemistry discoveries into real-world products and industrial technologies for reducing harm to the environment. Over the next five years Green Centre Canada aims to manage the commercialization of 50 Green Chemistry technologies, leading to at least 10 license agreements, and to establish at least six start-up companies.
UC Irvine Acquires $2 Million for Renewable Energy Research
The University of California, Irvine’s Advanced Power & Energy Program (APEP) at The Henry Samueli School of Engineering has obtained $2 million of state and private funds to develop safer, cleaner, and more affordable electricity generation and transportation. APEP will use the funding to create a framework for a cost-effective and reliable energy infrastructure that relies on renewable resources – solar photovoltaics, wind and biomass fuels – and will also improve transportation, waste management, and the energy efficiency of buildings.
Appalachian State U Receives $182K for Climate Change Research
Appalachian State University (NC) has received a three-year, $182,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to study the relationship between the growth of the ponderosa pine and Douglas fir and the rise in carbon dioxide in the Northern Rockies. The study is in collaboration with the Department of Geography at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro.
Oregon Campuses Receive Federal Funding for Sustainability Projects
Portland State University and the Oregon Institute of Technology have received funding from Congress's energy and water appropriations bill for green projects. PSU receives $1 million for a green building research laboratory, and OIT received $1 million for a geothermal power generation plant.
Utah State U Students Build Three Campus Gardens
Utah State University College of Agriculture and College of Natural Resources students have presented three new campus gardens and companion interpretive panels. The gardens were completely designed and created by USU horticulture students in the Low Water Use Landscaping classes. Students from Natural Resources Interpretation classes teamed up to create interpretive wayside panels for each plot. The panels illustrate three thematic gardens, including the pollinator garden, ideas for gardening with native plants, and historical uses of Utah plants garden.
Northern Arizona U Establishes New Sustainability-Focused School
Northern Arizona University has combined the Department of Geology with the Center for Sustainable Environments to create the new School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability. The new department combines educational programs and outreach in environmental sciences, environmental studies and geology, and graduate programs in environmental sciences and policy and geology. The University hopes that by bringing these two departments together students will have more opportunities for hands on experience with federal agencies such as the National Parks Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
Portland State U Opens Green Building Research Lab
Portland State University (OR) has opened its new Green Building Research Laboratory. The lab, which will also serve as a teaching tool for students, provides a place for university researchers to work in close collaboration with industry partners to help solve the fundamental and applied research needs of the green building industry.
U Wyoming Receives Climate Change Research Grant
The University of Wyoming has received a total of $2 million in federal stimulus funds through the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Health. The seven grants will fund research in climate change, astronomy, geology, insect cells, and neuroscience. The largest of the grants, $586,581, went to the Department of Atmospheric Science to research aspects of climate change.
Newsweek Covers Growth in Sustainability-Focused Academic Prgms
Newsweek has published an article on the increasing number of higher education institutions that are developing and adding to sustainability themed academic programs. The article cites that there were 27 sustainability themed programs, degrees or certificates in 2007 compared to three in 2005. The programs vary from business to agriculture, all with sustainability as a core focus. Higher education institutions mentioned include College of the Atlantic (ME), Green Mountain College (VT), Barnard College (NY), University of Virginia, Montana State University, Aquinas College (MI), Oregon Institute of Technology, and Arizona State University.
U Montana Receives Grant for Ethanol Production Research
The Native American Research Lab at the University of Montana has received a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant funds research aimed at making the production of ethanol more efficient, easier to make, and cheaper to buy. The lab has both Native students and non-Native students working on this project.
U Waterloo Students Win Hydrogen Design Contest
Students at the University of Waterloo (ON) have won the 2009 Hydrogen Education Foundation’s Hydrogen Student Design Contest. The students' submission utilizes hydrogen power as a way to provide on-demand energy when the primary electricity generated from solar and wind power is unable to meet demand. Two different teams from Wayne State University (MI) received honorable mentions. Teams from around the world competed in the competition.
Kettering U Student Installs Wind Turbine
A Kettering University (MI) student has installed a wind turbine on the roof of a campus building as part of his thesis project. The seven-foot-diameter turbine will generate electricity for campus, allow students to do hands-on research, and help prompt similar initiatives in other buildings in the area. The new installation is expected to produce one kW of energy, with a 1.5 kW capacity.
