For Release:           Immediate – March 29, 2021
Contact:                  Steve Ference, Director of University Communications | (518) 429-7742 | sference@sunypoly.edu

Technical Education to Inspire Clean Energy Careers for People of All Backgrounds

ALBANY and UTICA, NY – SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) announced today it received an award from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to power hands-on training that will build capacity and develop a qualified pool of scientists, engineers, and workers in the areas of energy storage technologies, specifically rechargeable batteries, and grid modernization.

Led by Associate Professor of Nanoengineering Dr. Harry Efstathiadis, Associate Professor of Engineering Dr. Iulian Gherasoiu, and Adjunct Professor of Nanoengineering Dr. Devendra Sadana, this effort will conjointly leverage the strengths of SUNY Poly’s Albany and Utica campuses, providing up to 75 students and workers with a highly relevant clean energy education with placement in internships. Focused outreach to veterans, low-income individuals, and unemployed/underemployed workers between the ages of 18-24 years old will also take place to encourage robust participation.

“I am grateful to NYSERDA for this award, as well as to our faculty who are dedicated to providing impactful experiential learning opportunities in areas that are fast-growing and can lead to more sustainable environmental outcomes,” SUNY Poly Interim Dean of the College of Engineering Dr. Michael Carpenter said. “This funding will foster the skills required for participants to pursue careers in the clean energy industry, and it will not only reach current college students, but also others who may be from underserved communities. This can help ensure that everyone can access New York’s 21^st century opportunities.”

“Data shows the green economy to be resilient, with nearly 164,000 New Yorkers employed in clean energy jobs in 2019 and grid modernization and energy storage representing one of the fastest growing sectors as we continue working to achieve the State’s climate and clean energy goals,” said Doreen M. Harris, NYSERDA’s Acting President and CEO. “As we modernize our electric grid to reliably integrate increasing amounts of renewable energy and energy storage resources, we are investing in workforce training opportunities to grow the pipeline of skilled clean energy workers and SUNY Poly’s Energy Storage Technology Workforce Training program will offer valuable hands-on experience students need to excel.”

The $246,000 two-year award will enable a team led by Drs. Efstathiadis, Gherasoiu, and Sadana to develop the Energy Storage Technology Workforce Training program, leveraging both expertise and the institution’s energy storage laboratory, as it targets and trains two sets of new workers. Under the program, two- and four-year college students at both SUNY Poly’s Utica and Albany campuses, as well as others attending colleges in the Capital Region, will be able to be trained as they complete a two-semesters-long capstone project. Concurrently, a new microcredential program focused on energy storage technology will be developed.

The second set of participants includes Capital Region high school graduates who may be looking for an alternative to the college-career pathway. Complementing this cohort, individuals currently studying at technical high schools, and others participating in Capital South Campus Center and area Workforce Development Board Career Centers programs can participate in a two-week spring and summer clean energy job readiness training program. Overall, the program will provide in-class and hands-on energy storage and batteries training that matches each student’s level of knowledge.

Trainees will learn all aspects of rechargeable batteries, such as assembly, testing, analysis, module assembly, and recycling, and more, with internships offered to enhance the participants’ qualifications and experience, supporting attainment of entry level or advanced positions in energy storage or the larger clean energy industry. The training curriculum will be modified to keep up with changing industry needs, such as integration of energy storage in a solar cell system and microgrid.

For more information about the program and to learn about opportunities to participate, please visit https://sunypoly.edu/esttp.html.

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About SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly)
SUNY Poly is New York’s globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience programs at its Albany campus, and undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, including natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica campus; thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. As the world’s most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts billions of dollars in high-tech investments and hundreds of corporate partners since its inception. For information visit www.sunypoly.edu.