Electrical Engineering Professor Omar Faruque (left) and Mechanical Engineering Professor Juan Ordonez at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, where they will train engineering students on industrial energy use efficiency as part of a new Dept. of Energy IAC. (M Wallheiser/FAMU-FSU Engineering)
Florida A&M University (FAMU) and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering are part of the newly formed Centers of Excellence funded by the U.S. Department of Energy to establish regional Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) to train the next generation of engineers and bring green manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.
FAMU is partnering with Clark Atlanta University, Kennesaw State University and Georgia Tech, the hub location of the newly established Southeastern Center of Excellence. Together, they will target the distinctive needs of the Southeast and focus on clean and resilient energy enhancement, especially regarding disasters like hurricanes.
Juan Ordonez, a professor in mechanical engineering, is leading a team of researchers from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering in the effort in North Florida. Omar Faruque, a professor in electrical engineering will serve as co-PI in the project. Their groups specialize in improving how the manufacturing industry consumes energy.
While the center is focused mainly on research-based consulting to industrial companies, it is a great opportunity for engineering students to get hands-on training and contribute to the nation’s efforts to strengthen manufacturing by making better use of energy.
“They will learn to perform evaluations of industrial processes and energy systems and get training that will prepare them for careers in the energy field,” Ordonez said.
Through IACs, engineering students and faculty from universities in different parts of the nation will conduct energy assessments of companies to identify opportunities to improve productivity and competitiveness, reduce waste and save energy. These assessments can typically save manufacturers more than $130,000 per year, according to the DOE.
The regional training program at FAMU via the college will focus on high-quality skills in fields involving energy management, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing while supporting hands-on support to small and mid-size manufacturers.
“We are interested in providing a pipeline of professional engineers who will be trained to manage green energy technologies along with electrical and thermal storage in the manufacturing sector,” Faruque said. “This investment of next-generation workers will help advance green technologies in the manufacturing industries.”
IAC assessments are in-depth evaluations of a facility conducted by engineering faculty with upper-class and graduate students.
Nationwide, five university Centers of Excellence consortiums received funding from the DOE to serve as regional Centers of Excellence for the IAC program. These colleges will receive $19 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in Congress.
Each selectee has unique capabilities in the IAC network:
- Southeastern Center of Excellence at Georgia Tech University (Atlanta, GA), in partnership with Clark Atlanta University, Florida A&M University, and Kennesaw State University, will draw on these universities’ internationally renowned expertise in energy management, industrial electrification, and complex assessments.
- Great Plains Center of Excellence at Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK), in partnership with Northern Oklahoma College, Wichita State University, and the University of Nebraska, will advance the IAC network’s use of technology-driven assessments – including through the use of mobile applications, drones, and virtual/augmented reality. This center will also deepen the IAC network’s partnerships with community colleges and Tribal communities.
- Mid-Atlantic Center of Excellence at Lehigh University (Bethlehem, PA), in partnership with West Virginia University, will expand the IAC network’s engagement with unions, trade schools, and community colleges.
- Gulf Coast Center of Excellence at Texas A&M University (College Station, TX), a national leader in remote and hybrid assessments, will accelerate the IAC network’s growing emphasis on industrial decarbonization, electrification, and resiliency planning.
- Western Center of Excellence at San Francisco State University (San Francisco, CA), in partnership with San Jose State University, San Diego State University, Laney College, and Cuyamaca College – a group of five leading minority-serving institutions –will apply their expertise in data-driven tracking to evaluate and improve manufacturer performance, renewable energy, water management to enhance manufacturing competitiveness across the Western U.S.
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