Alternative Fuel Technology Program plans to launch first course this winter
The first course in a master's degree program in Alternative Energy Technology is planned for the winter semester, the College of Engineering has announced. The graduate level course "Fundamentals of Alternative Energy I" -- will be open to students with a bachelor's degree in engineering, and perhaps other mathematics-based sciences, said Interim Dean Ralph Kummler.
The course is the first piece in a new Engineering master's degree program in Alternative Energy Technology (AET) program planned to be fully in place in the fall of 2005. An AET graduate certificate program and an undergraduate concentration program are also part of the College's plan.
The College will draw on its expertise in alternative energy-related research to build a state-of-the-art AET program, said University President Irvin D. Reid. "This is an important step in the University's mission. We are providing the educational services to prepare Michigan's technical workforce for the emerging alternative energy based economy," he said.
The new AET master's degree program is supported by a $300,000 grant from NextEnergy. Lansing Community College, Lawrence Technological University and Kettering University also received NextEnergy AET curriculum grants that involve associate degree and certificate programs. NextEnergy, a non-profit corporation created by the state of Michigan last year, is providing the spark and support to galvanize an alternative fuel technology economy in Michigan. It is located in the Wayne State Technology Park just north of campus.
"This is a very exciting program, perhaps the first master's degree program in the nation involving alternative fuel technology," said Simon Ng, professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. Ng and Jerry Ku, associate professor of Mechanical Engineering, are organizing and will be co-directors of the new Wayne State AET program. They will be taking advantage of the College"s long-standing research cooperation with Michigan's automotive industry and suppliers to build the program. "Our ultimate goal is to position Michigan as the world center for alternative energy education, curriculum research and development," said Ng.
The College's degree program plan calls for subcontracting with the University of Michigan to take advantage of each other's expertise. "The goal is to provide an excellent AET education for the entire state of Michigan," said Ng. "We want to take advantage of their expertise, and they are tapping ours and depending on us to provide a degree program."
Three leading alternative energy companies -- Ballard Power Systems Corporation, Delphi Corporation, and Energy Conversion Devices -- all of whom encouraged the development of the new AET programs at Wayne State, intend to provide curriculum advice and collaboration, lab equipment donations and summer internship positions. "The proposed program will contribute to the development of much needed human resources for Michigan's rapidly expanding alternative energy industries," said Standford Ovshinsky, CEO of Energy Conversion Devices of Troy. "It will also be a catalyst for entrepreneurial activities of AET in Michigan."
Energy Conversion Devices is among the leading companies in novel alternative energy development. Ballard is one of the leading fuel cell manufacturers in the world. Both grow their workforce with in-house training and 'imports' from the few engineering colleges in the country strong in Power Electronics.
Delphi, a major manufacturer and supplier of automotive and electronic components, is already an important partner with the College's Smart Sensor and Integrated Microsystem's lab. Smart sensor technology is expected to play a critical role in any alternative fuel technology, particularly hydrogen sensors for fuel tanks.
Because AET is multi-disciplinary in nature, the new degree and certificate programs will encompass courses in all engineering disciplines -- Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.
"We are leveraging our research excellence in all areas to encompass fuel cell catalysts, thermal management, control systems, smart sensors, process safety, vehicle design, traffic simulation, infrastructure management and engineering management to develop state-of-the-art courses in AET," said Ku. With a strong automotive engineering program, Wayne State often fields strong teams in national alternative vehicle competitions, including ethanol, hybrid electric, clean car and human-powered cars.
To provide the full curriculum foundation for the AET programs, the College plans to develop nine new formal courses, including Fundamentals of AET, Fuel Cell Vehicles, Dynamics and Control of Fuel Cell Systems, Smart Sensors and Fuel Cell, Hydrogen Infrastructure and Alternative Fuel Transportation, and Fuel Cell Product Realization System: Business and Technical Integration Issues.