“The Ohio State EmPOWERment Program is developing a pipeline of innovative graduates who can address the myriad challenges of a just transition to environmentally, economically and socially sustainable energy systems,” said Bielicki, who is program director of the Ohio State EmPOWERment Program and an associate professor of civil, environmental and geodetic engineering. “Bridging the development of academic knowledge through interdisciplinary collaboration with practical application that address the needs for clean-tech manufacturing is an essential component of developing people who can exercise leadership in the next generation energy workforce.”
Through BATTERI, students aiming to augment their skill sets will benefit from experiential learning activities that immerse them in clean-tech manufacturing. These activities will enhance the development of skills, knowledge and professional networks essential for both technical and entrepreneurial careers in advanced battery manufacturing.
“We’re excited and grateful to have this new program. It’s more than a vehicle to explore new technologies; it will serve as a catalyst that will shape advanced manufacturing by lighting pathways for a diverse STEM workforce,” said Jay Sayre, director of innovation at the Institute for Materials and Manufacturing Research, who is the lead researcher for BATTERI and a research associate professor in materials science and engineering.
The Institute for Materials and Manufacturing Research also operates the university’s Energy Innovation Lab at Nanotech West Lab and the upcoming $22-million Battery Cell R&D Center. BATTERI is the first funded program for the battery center, which is scheduled to open in the Carmenton district on West Campus in 2025.
BATTERI’s experiential learning will offer two complementary routes. One will help students foster entrepreneurial mindsets through market analysis and value proposition development. The other will put students in the lab, where they will work on real projects and receive technical workforce training tailored to battery and electric vehicle manufacturing needs.
During these research activities, students will be guided by Ohio State faculty and automotive industry partners Honda and Schaeffler Americas. Lab activities will be conducted in the Institute for Materials and Manufacturing Research’s 22,000-square-foot Battery Center and Energy Innovation Lab. In these spaces, students will have the opportunity to apply new techniques to research challenges, present findings to industry stakeholders, and refine their projects based on feedback, ensuring a seamless transition from learning to practical application.
BATTERI will receive $1 million in funding for three years from the U.S. National Science Foundation through its Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) program. In that time, the Institute for Materials and Manufacturing Research envisions scaling the program to include participation from additional colleges and universities in the region to further foster and support a diverse, inclusive workforce prepared for the growing demands of the advanced battery manufacturing industry.
“NSF is committed to creating new career pathways for all Americans from the full range of professional and educational backgrounds interested in working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields,” said Erwin Gianchandani, NSF assistant director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, in a release by the foundation. “ExLENT helps ensure that all workers have access to essential opportunities to gain on-the-job training in good-quality, well-paying jobs, helping ensure upward socioeconomic mobility and position the U.S. in the vanguard of competitiveness for decades to come.”
Learn more about the EmPOWERment Program on Convergent Graduate Training for a Sustainable Energy Future.
Story by Institute for Materials and Manufacturing Research communications coordinator Mike Huson
