Author(s):

Dr. Hyunjung Ji, et al.

Abstract:

In this project, we will educate and train Alabama students about clean energy practices and career opportunities. For our initiative, we will rely on a cross-sector collaboration including Energy Alabama (nonprofit organization), researchers (University of Alabama faculty across various disciplines), Alabama Industrial Assessment Center (AIAC), and other educational institutions in AL. First, by leveraging Alabama Industrial Assessment Center’s programs on student training and industrial energy assessments, we will provide college students with industrial energy assessment training via a peer mentoring system and an opportunity to participate in energy assessment projects for industry clients, including small, rural businesses. Second, we will provide education outreach for energy technology/management and workforce training for both high school and college students. Finally, we will organize an Energy Entrepreneurship seminar series and field trips to businesses to showcase sustainable energy entrepreneurship vision and practice to our student participants. In recruiting student participants, we will deliberately focus on low-income, racial/ethnic minority students from Alabama Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) partner institutions as well as schools from Tuscaloosa and majority-minority Alabama counties, such as Eutaw and Aliceville. Our initiative will build a regional network to provide energy and entrepreneurship training for students underrepresented in STEM and, therefore, support their career opportunities in clean energy fields.