The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) has announced 10 Faculty Explorer award recipients in the inaugural EnergyTech University Prize (EnergyTech UP) Faculty Track.
Office of Technology Transitions
January 19, 2024
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Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) announced 10 Faculty Explorer award recipients in the inaugural EnergyTech University Prize (EnergyTech UP) Faculty Track. OTT awarded each faculty competitor $4,000 for showing promising interest, ideas, and/or materials promoting energy entrepreneurship at their collegiate institutions. OTT is excited to support these faculty as they work to effectively develop, refine, and implement high-quality and impactful activities.
EnergyTech UP is a collegiate competition for both students and faculty, aimed at growing clean energy entrepreneurship. Those competing as faculty develop and implement educational activities to engage more students in energy technology commercialization and entrepreneurship at their institution. While faculty have always been, and remain, welcome and encouraged to mentor a student team competing in EnergyTech UP, this new track is designed to incentivize and support faculty directly, with $100,000 in cash prizes available. This new track will result in market research skills for a student population that does not currently have access to these kinds of opportunities.
“At OTT, we recognize that not all students have equal access to programs and materials that show them career paths in energy or commercialization,” said DOE Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of the Office of Technology Transitions Dr. Vanessa Z. Chan. “We developed the faculty track this year as a new approach to making students aware of the opportunities that exist in the energy sector, and to reward the faculty who are inspiring the next generation of cleantech leaders."
The EnergyTech UP 2024 Faculty Explorers are as follows (organized alphabetically by last name):
- Derek Abrams, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Edinburg, TX)
- Akosua Acheamponmaa, Norfolk State University (Norfolk, VA)
- Mohamed K.M. Ahmed, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (Tallahassee, FL)
- Antwon Foreman, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (Greensboro, NC)
- Gary Koenig, the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA)
- Gang Li, Mississippi State University (Mississippi State, MS)
- Heather Liddell, Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN)
- Kassandra McQuillen, J.D., Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX)
- Brien Walton, J.D. Ed.D., Husson University (Bangor, ME)
- Maryam Younessi Sinaki, PhD, Cleveland State University (Cleveland, OH)
As part of EnergyTech UP, faculty develop a proposal throughout three phases of competition: the Explore Phase, the Develop Phase, and the Implementation Phase. All EnergyTech UP participants will be provided with targeted access to a DOE mentor and DOE resources.
Faculty Explorers, as well as any other interested faculty, are then encouraged to submit a plan as part of the Implementation phase to reflect how their idea could be integrated into student activities. Up to eight faculty teams will split the $60,000 prize pool as winners and runners-up.
EnergyTech UP also offers prizes and mentorship to student competitors. Student teams develop and present a business plan that leverages either National Laboratory-developed technologies or other emerging energy technologies developed by students, faculty, or industry. Throughout the competition, they receive mentorship and materials to help them succeed, all while competing for part of $400,000+ in cash prizes.
Students interested in learning more about EnergyTech UP 2024 can join a final informational webinar on January 23 at 4 p.m. ET. However, to enter the competition, students must upload a submission by February 1. Student Explore phase pitches will occur virtually on February 27, 28, and 29.