Missouri S&T to power an incubator for new energy technologies
ROLLA, Mo. – Missouri University of Science and Technology has long been home to one of the most diverse energy-focused research portfolios in the country, and leaders are now taking steps to accelerate energy innovation at the labs. S&T to market.
“We are currently establishing an energy technology incubator at Missouri S&T,” says Dr. David Borrok, vice provost and dean of S&T’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. “The energy research we do at S&T is incredible and covers many applications. We are excited to support our research teams to advance their research into the commercial market to help solve some of the world’s most challenging problems.
The Missouri S&T Energy Technology Incubator (ETI) will provide research teams with seed grants and other resources to help them obtain patents more quickly and generate viable commercial products.
Borrok says researchers will be able to partner with scientists and technologies Kummer College of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development and work with the office to Technology transfer and economic developmentwhile also having ETI funding to relaunch their energy-focused research.
The first seed grants that will support ETI are sponsored by Molly and Andrew Laegeler, S&T alumni who previously funded a postdoctoral fellowship focused on sustainable energy. The new Seed Grants will replace this scholarship, with the goal of helping faculty members move their ideas from concept to reality.
“The goal is to have several of these seed grants and other resources,” Borrok says. “We are grateful for the support the Laegelers have shown in S&T, and we hope that even more people will be inspired to contribute.” »
Borrok says donors could select a specific energy research focus or choose to support the university’s energy research more broadly. Some of S&T’s energy research areas include:
Energy Storage
Researchers are developing energy storage technology by working with new materials, advanced electrode engineering and multi-scale modeling to better understand and mitigate battery degradation and aging. Researchers are also studying the extremely fast charging capabilities of electric vehicles and, recently, demonstrated their efforts at the US Department of Energy.
Electric energy
The university has ongoing research efforts related to power electronics, transportation electrification, microgrids and renewable energy systems. This research focuses on improving the reliability, efficiency, economy and safety of power system operation and planning. Missouri S&T is also home to the Solar Village living labs, featuring multiple microgrids and student-designed solar homes used for research and demonstrations.
Production, storage and use of hydrogen
The university hydrogen research covers areas such as green hydrogen production by electrolysis, nanostructured catalysts, hydrogen storage materials, hydrogen refueling stations, safety protocols, sensors and fuel cells. Researchers are studying how to best use hydrogen to meet the federal government’s goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Carbon management
Faculty and students conduct research on carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) to reduce harmful emissions and energy waste. Their efforts include carbon capture directly from the air or point sources, mineralization of CO2 to produce carbon-negative concrete or cement supplements, reusing carbon in enhanced oil recovery, and producing chemicals and commodity fuels from CO2 waste. Research is also being carried out in S&T focused on the decarbonization of the sector. steel And cement Industries.
Geothermal energy
Aware of the untapped potential of geothermal energy as a sustainable and renewable resource, S&T research teams are working to improve heat recovery efficiencyimprove fracture networks with new hydraulic fracturing methods and control fluid flow loss when drilling with innovative materials.
Mining
Researchers develop innovative and sustainable procurement approaches critical minerals that support the global energy transition. This research aims to reduce the environmental impact of extracting and processing these minerals using renewable energy and exploring methods that remove carbon from the process. S&T leads the charge in developing resource extraction methods from existing base metal extractions, tailings and others unconventional sources.
Nuclear energy
Missouri S&T is home to a nuclear reactor used for research and training since 1961. researchers studying nuclear materials, environmental impact assessments of energy, the location of power plants and spent nuclear fueland the application of machine learning and digital twins to power plant lifecycles. Research efforts also extend to radioisotopes and the thermohydraulics of cooling systems, studying the effects of irradiation on insulators and electronics, developing structural alloys for reactor vessels, and studying the effects of irradiation on ceramic fuels and moderators.
How to help
To support this initiative, visit give.mst.edu, select “other” and enter “ETI”. Contact Lara Turek, Executive Director of Development, at (email protected) or 314-971-1101 for any questions.
About Missouri University of Science and Technology
Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university with more than 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri system, Missouri S&T offers more than 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities in salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri science and technology, visit www.mst.edu.
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