Alfred University awarded $160,644 grant to prepare students for battery/energy storage jobs

John Simmins '84, PhD '90, director of the GE Vernova Advanced Power Grid Lab (left) watches as Abraham Ebunu, a Ph.D. candidate in materials science and engineering from Nigeria (center) and Momodou Jallow, a sophomore electrical engineering major from Gambia use battery testing equipment in the lab.

Alfred University is recipient of $160,644 in National Science Foundation (NSF) grant funding which will be used to support a training program focused on battery degradation and useful life prediction. The program will help prepare engineering students with skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the battery and energy storage job market.

The grant is administered through the NSF-funded Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine: Generating Regional Opportunities in Workforce (GROW) program. The initiative supports the development and implementation of a pilot workforce training program aimed at advancing regional and national battery and energy storage labor readiness.

Kun Wang, assistant professor of materials science and engineering in Alfred University's Inamori School of Engineering, is principal investigator for the project. Gabrielle Gaustad '04, dean of the Inamori School of Engineering, Scott Misture '90, '94 PhD, Inamori professor of materials science and engineering, and Xingwu Wang, professor of electrical engineering, serve as co-investigators.

Housed at Binghamton University, the Upstate Energy Storage Engine is one of 10 NSF-supported Regional Innovation Engines across the country. It is dedicated to building a comprehensive battery and energy storage ecosystem in Upstate New York by fostering innovation, technology, translation, workforce development, and inclusive collaboration to support United States independence and leadership in these industries. Alfred University's grant is a sub-award from GROW funding awarded to Syracuse University.

The start date of the grant awarded to Alfred University is October 17, 2024, with an end date of February 28, 2026. The program will equip students from the materials science, renewable energy, and electrical engineering fields with skills in battery testing, data analysis, and machine learning for performance prediction. It aligns with the Upstate Energy Storage Engine's mission to advance the battery industry by fostering a highly skilled workforce capable of driving innovation in energy storage systems.

The grant will fund instructional positions and training equipment at Alfred University. Wang is overseeing development of curriculum for short courses, which will be offered to 30 to 50 students from Alfred University, Alfred State College and Corning Community College. The courses will be offered over the summer-possibly in conjunction with Alfred University's Summer Undergraduate Research Institute-and during the Fall 2025 semester. Wang said employees of businesses in New York State that utilize battery technology will be able to sit for short-course training as well.