New Advanced Energy Institute Website

In an era of constrained budgets and reduced resources, finding creative ways to enhance educational programs, public outreach, and research and scholarly activity without additional funds can be challenging. But SIU Carbondale faculty, administrators, and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Dean are working together to do just that. In December,  Chancellor Rita Cheng approved the initiative to establish the SIU Advanced Energy Institute (AEI). The initiative was the result of a series of discussions among faculty and administrators with an interest in energy and environmental activities on the SIU Carbondale campus.
 
Reporting to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Dean, the AEI will operate as a consortium of campus research centers and graduate programs. The Coal Research Center, the Materials Technology Center, the Center for Ecology, the Professional Science Master’s in Advanced Energy and Fuels Management, and the Environmental Resources and Policy PhD Program will work together to promote and strengthen energy and environmental  activities on the SIU Carbondale campus. Their focus will be:  to increase externally-funded research and scholarly activities in energy and environmentally-related disciplines; to enhance and support existing energy and environmentally-focused academic programs; and to foster and facilitate the exchange of information on energy topics on campus.

In January, 2010, a steering committee comprised of participating unit directors was formed.  With input from both internal and external advisory boards, the committee will assess existing campus energy activities, organize an energy and environmental seminar series, and cultivate collaborative activities with other institutions.  The committee plans to meet monthly with each unit providing administrative support from existing programs, eliminating the need for dedicated funding.

SIU has long history of energy and environmentally-related research, education, and scholarship. Building on the solid foundation of SIUC’s educational programs, the expertise of our faculty, and the diversity of our energy activities to date, the Advanced Energy Institute will aid in the development of SIUC as a leader in the energy arena, training future energy and environmental professionals, fostering discovery and innovation, and developing solutions to some of the world’s most challenging energy and environmental problems.