Plant Services - August 2007 - (Page 15) KEN SChNEPf THE PS FILES Interest grows in energy education Universities are cultivating engineers with green degrees enewable energy degree programs are cropping rolled in the program (www.oit.edu/Default.aspx?DN=323 up at universities across the country and interest 47,32301,4503,1,Documents) with as many as 50 expected in them is growing like a field of budding flowers. for the fall term, says Robert Bass, Ph.D., assistant professor While the programs won’t be in full bloom for a few more and program director, renewable energy systems program at OIT. Freshman coursework is typically done at one of the years, they’re taking root throughout the country and are local community colleges in Portland. available for students and practicing engineers alike. “We saw a demand for this kind of engineering educaIllinois State University (ISU), Normal, Ill., is the latest tion from both prospective students and from industry,” says to join the trend. With the pending approval of the Illinois Bass. “No other university was preparing graduates for the State Board of Higher Education, it will offer a B.S. derenewable energy fields at the time, so there gree in renewable energy in the fall of 2008. was a clear market opportunity.” Many of the “Ultimately, we’d like 60 students or so in the students currently in the program have either program,” explains David Kennell, a professor We saw a full- or part-time jobs. The average age of stuat ISU and instructional assistant of the new demand for dents in the program is around 29, but ages program. “We’ve had a lot of interest.” Many this kind of range from the low 20s to the mid-50s. who already hold a B.S. degree are seeking a As of the 2004-2005 academic year, second degree in renewable energy. engineering Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif., beA steady stream of calls has been coming in education from gan offering degree options in its new Atfrom prospective employers inquiring about the prospective mosphere/Energy program (http://cee. program, Kennell says. It’s designed to prepare students and s t a n ford .e du /pro s p e c t i v e /u g /m ajor A t participants for work in either the technology mosEnergy.html). In 2006, the New College track or an economic/public policy track of the industry. of California, San Francisco, established an new renewable energy field. Kennell says there accredited masters of business administrawill be a 20% to 35% growth in the industry tion degree in sustainable enterprise (www.newcollege.edu/ bringing jobs in wind, solar energy and biofuels, with many news/january_14_06.cfm), dubbed the “Green MBA.” Its plants in those fields expected to be built in the coming years. curriculum comprises basic business fundamentals that pro“We want to prepare them for work in the new renewable vide essential general business skills, courses that focus on energy field,” says Kennell. sustainability and entrepreneurship, and a core leadership ISU’s program (www.ilstu.edu/depts/ucc/proposalson cirseries. The DOE offers a list of higher education programs, culation/Circ2008-2010/Circ%201-16-07.pdf) is designed for courses and degrees in energy, as well as energy-related proboth existing engineers who are able to take courses on campus grams at universities and colleges, at www1.eere.energy. and expand their skills, and to attract new students into engigov/education/higher_education_programs.html. neering. ISU already has an integrated manufacturing sequence This growing trend isn’t limited to the United States. The with courses to help produce maintenance supervisors. “We’re University of Exeter, U.K., will offer a renewable energy debuilding on those strengths,” says Kennell. The curriculum was gree accredited by the Energy Institute starting in 2008. reviewed by the renewable energy experts and potential emThe University of Jyvaskyla, Finland, offers a master’s deployers who comprise the program advisory committee. The gree in renewable energy. program would get started through a four-year, nearly $1 milThese programs are directed not only toward expertise lion grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). in renewable energy, but renewing interest in engineering The Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT), Klamath as well. Falls, Ore., became the first in the U.S. to offer a bachelor’s degree in renewable energy in 2004, with the first graduating class due in 2008. There are currently 25 students enE-mail Managing Editor Ken Schnepf at kschnepf@putman.net. August 2007 www.PLANTSERVICES.com 15 R http://www.oit.edu/Default.aspx?DN=32347,32301,4503,1,Documents http://www.oit.edu/Default.aspx?DN=32347,32301,4503,1,Documents http://cee.stanford.edu/prospective/ug/majorAtmosEnergy.html http://cee.stanford.edu/prospective/ug/majorAtmosEnergy.html http://cee.stanford.edu/prospective/ug/majorAtmosEnergy.html http://www.newcollege.edu/news/january_14_06.cfm http://www.newcollege.edu/news/january_14_06.cfm http://www.ilstu.edu/depts/ucc/proposalsoncir-culation/Circ2008-2010/Circ%201-16-07.pdf http://www.ilstu.edu/depts/ucc/proposalsoncir-culation/Circ2008-2010/Circ%201-16-07.pdf http://www1.eere.energy.gov/education/higher_education_programs.html http://www1.eere.energy.gov/education/higher_education_programs.html http://www.PLANTSERVICES.com
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