Collaborative Research: Developing a Diverse, Future-oriented Workforce for Renewable Energy Industries

该项目旨在通过研究如何为新一代工程师加入不断增长的可再生能源劳动力队伍做好准备，为国家利益服务。转向更多地依赖可再生能源将需要一支能够开发和促进能源可持续性做法的熟练工程人员队伍。为了帮助培养这批所需的劳动力，该项目旨在从知识获取到职业决策等多个层面培养工程专业学生的环境意识。通常情况下，仅仅改变学生的环境意识并不能转化为可再生能源行业的劳动力发展。这项探索性研究旨在通过提供针对塔斯基吉大学和奥本大学不同群体工程专业本科生环境意识的干预措施来解决这一差距。 该项目旨在促进对环境意识和行为之间的差距的理解，并确定可持续能源行业对新工程师的需求所需的必要技术能力和软技能。 为此，该项目将：（1）研究工程专业学生的环境意识与他们在可再生能源领域从事职业的意愿和准备之间的联系;（2）提供机械式的教育设计，以最大限度地提高可持续能力和行为;（3）创建一个范例，在学术机构和可再生能源及相关行业之间建立管道。 这个项目来自亚拉巴马的两个机构，与东南部的相关行业有着密切的联系。旨在支持多样化可再生能源工程劳动力发展的活动包括可再生创客空间，多门课程中可持续发展概念的横向整合，以及加强大学-行业参与，例如学生实地考察工业场地和行业代表对劳动力需求的反馈。一项混合方法的研究将深入了解与参与每项干预措施相关的技能和能力水平。环境意识的四个组成部分（知识、态度、意愿和自觉准备）将作为指标。NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。通过机构和社区转型的轨道，该计划支持的努力，以改变和改善高等教育机构和学科社区的STEM教育.这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估支持.

This project aims to serve the national interest by studying ways to prepare a new generation of engineers to join the growing renewable energy workforce. A shift to increased reliance on renewable energy will require a skilled engineering workforce that can develop and promote energy sustainability practices. To help prepare this needed workforce, the project aims to develop engineering students’ environmental awareness across multiple levels, from knowledge acquisition to career decisions. Typically, a change in students’ environmental awareness alone does not translate into workforce development for renewable energy industries. This exploratory research intends to address this gap by offering interventions that target environmental awareness across a diverse group of undergraduate engineering students at Tuskegee University and Auburn University. This project seeks to advance understanding of the gap between environmental awareness and behavior, as well as determine the necessary technical competencies and soft skills that sustainable energy industries demand from new engineers. To do so, this project will: (1) examine the link between engineering students’ environmental awareness and their willingness and preparedness to pursue careers in renewable energy fields; (2) offer mechanistic educational design to maximize sustainability competencies and behaviors; and (3) create a paradigm for building a pipeline between academic institutions and renewable energy and related industries. This project from two institutions in Alabama features strong associations with relevant industries in the Southeast. Activities intended to support development of a diverse renewable energy engineering workforce include a renewable makerspace, horizontal integration of sustainability concepts in multiple courses, and enhanced university-industry engagement, such as student field trips to industrial sites and feedback from industry representatives regarding workforce needs. A mixed-methods research study will provide insight on the skills and competency levels associated with participation in each intervention. Four components of environmental awareness (knowledge, attitude, willingness, and perceived preparedness) will serve as indicators. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Institutional and Community Transformation track, the program supports efforts to transform and improve STEM education across institutions of higher education and disciplinary communities.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.