Onsite Research
University Collaboration Projects
Building on long standing relationships with major universities (Carnegie
Mellon and University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA, and West Virginia University
in Morgantown, WV), the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) is helping
to overcome a growing national problem of a diminishing number of new energy
experts by expanding upon university collaborations through its Office of Research
and Development, with a focus on coal and power system research.
While energy is the cornerstone of the nation's economy, recent collegiate
trends have shown a decreasing interest in science and engineering, more specifically
in the energy and energy-related environmental arenas. NETL's Office of Research
and Development (ORD) has entered into 50
collaborative projects [PDF-156KB] since 2005,
where university and NETL researchers work side-by-side for the duration of
each project. Unlike other programs where “visiting” students spend a week
or month conducting research in a government or private laboratory, this effort
establishes long-term relationships between university and NETL researchers
who work collaboratively on projects ranging from materials development to
modeling, sensors and controls, process simulations, fuel cells, gas hydrates,
and measurement, mitigation & verification. All research for these projects
is being conducted at NETL laboratories in Morgantown and Pittsburgh .
The collaborative research supports the overall mission of NETL to assure
that U.S. fossil energy resources can meet the increasing demand for affordable
energy without compromising the quality of life for future generations of Americans.
Building closer ties with the local universities complements NETL research
efforts on energy and energy-related environmental systems development, while
helping to prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers who will
be helping to overcome the challenges of environmental impact, supply, and
reliability so often associated with fossil fuel use. Through these collaborations,
NETL hopes to tap the kind of student talent for medicine, computers, and robotics
that are drawn to these major regional universities, and apply that talent
in the energy arena. A goal of the university participants is to achieve something
through collaboration that could not be accomplished working separately, and
to allow students the opportunity to experience the way research is conducted
in non-academic settings.
For more information on the University Collaboration projects, contact: Michael
Nowak.
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