NRT: ENERGIZE ? Interdisciplinary graduate program integrating data science in energy materials research

Sponsor: National Science Foundation

Award Number: DGE-2244216

PI: Malika Jeffries-EL

Co-Is/Co-PIs: Brian Kulis, Emily Ryan

The global population has skyrocketed from approximately one billion in 1800 to over eight billion in 2024, driving increased demand for vital and interrelated resources like energy, food, and water. Sustainable approaches are required to meet the escalating energy demand, including resource conservation, energy storage enhancements, and global energy resource management. Addressing the research challenges associated with providing clean energy for the world is a multidisciplinary problem that requires scientists and engineers from diverse fields to collaborate closely. However, the current academic research on sustainable energy is primarily concentrated within traditional academic disciplines. Consequently, academic programs may fail to train graduate students who will enter the energy sector workforce with the essential communication skills and technical expertise to confront these profoundly interdisciplinary challenges. This National Science Foundation Research Traineeship award to Boston University (BU) will create an interdisciplinary community of students trained to work collaboratively on sustainable energy research and development. The ENERGIZE project anticipates training 100-125 Ph.D. and master?s students, including 20 funded trainees from a range of disciplines across the university. Trainees will come primarily, but not exclusively, from Ph.D. programs.

The technical focus of the ENERGIZE NRT spans research in photochemical conversion, electrochemical conversion, electrochemical storage, and photochemical storage while concurrently providing foundational training for students in physical and computational experimentation and data science. The program has five integrated components: (i) evidence-based experiential learning and interdisciplinary collaborations, (ii) building communications and leadership skills, (iii) career development, (iv) interdisciplinary mentoring, and (v) rigorous program assessment to track learning outcomes. Trainees will develop depth in a particular area of study and breadth across complementary areas of energy conversion, energy storage, sustainability, and data science through coursework, workshops, an internship-based practicum, and mentored laboratory research projects. They will engage in formal activities devoted to professional development, career planning, and skills acquisition through bootcamps, tailored workshops, and leadership opportunities within the NRT community. The project outcomes will include a model for educating scientists and engineers in interdisciplinary research, a research community with technical depth and breadth and a broad understanding of the social impact of sustainable energy and their own research, and educational materials and best practices on research education and professional development.

The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new potentially transformative models for STEM graduate education training. The program is dedicated to effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary or convergent research areas through comprehensive traineeship models that are innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs.

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