Science to Policy Education: Activating Knowledge for Sustainable Transportation (SPEAKS)

随着社会越来越多地依靠科学进步来解决重大挑战，研究人员必须与公众和政策制定者接触，在这些进步的基础上开发和实施新技术，以造福社会。例如，这种参与对于应对气候变化至关重要，因为人们和行业必须迅速和公平地接受可再生能源以及可持续动力的车辆和技术。这一NSF研究培训(NRT)项目将培训STEM研究生将工程学、社会科学和环境科学以及公共政策整合在一起，进行重点研究，重点是利用可再生氢气和不同的储能能力，加快可再生能源与电网的整合。这种一体化最终将有助于加快运输和其他部门的脱碳。该项目将使用一种新颖的科学-政策(S2P)培训计划，教学生参与利益相关者群体，了解他们的需求并将他们的需求纳入研究计划，同时传播科学，并优先关注多样性、公平、包容性和道德。该项目预计将培训80(80)名博士生，其中包括30(30)名资助学员，他们来自不同的工程专业、环境科学、社会学和政治学。受资助的实习生将在立法机构、政府机构、非营利组织和行业实习，为实践职业生涯做准备，并提供有形的产品，如政策建议或报告。该项目将召集来自这些领域的专家从业者讲授学生并参与研究项目。来自工程、政策、科学和人文学科的项目教师和研究人员将实施一项跨学科培训计划，为博士生提供必要的技能和经验，以应对交通脱碳的关键科学挑战，并将他们的发现落实到公共政策中。教职员工还将与校园领导层合作，将S2P培训计划的元素整合到校园范围的研究生入门课程中，并与国家科学政策网络合作，在全国范围内分享这一培训计划。这一培训计划是转变STEM研究生教育的第一步，目的是让学生更好地为任何职业做好准备，并将对社会有益的研究转化为公共政策。加快交通部门的脱碳进程，同时继续将可再生能源纳入电网，是应对气候变化的关键。为了实现这一目标，NRT学员将从事三项关键活动。首先是在将高可再生能源电网与交通基础设施相结合方面进行尖端研究，研究可再生氢作为燃料和储能介质。第二是了解有关可持续发展、空气污染和可再生能源的政策，学会向所有受众传播科学，并了解各种利益攸关方为环境正义创造公平解决方案的需求。第三，通过设计基于个人、社会和政治需求的解决方案，开发人类与可再生能源技术互动的最佳实践。让关键的利益攸关方群体参与研究和开发将加快可再生技术的部署，并促进就科学主题进行有效的沟通和决策。该项目将培养学员通过有意义的社区参与和响应计划，开发和部署与社会挑战密切相关的科学研究模式。NSF研究培训(NRT)计划旨在鼓励STEM研究生教育培训的大胆、新的潜在变革性模式的开发和实施。该计划致力于通过创新的、基于证据的、与不断变化的劳动力和研究需求保持一致的综合实习生模式，在高度优先的跨学科或趋同研究领域对STEM研究生进行有效培训。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

As society looks increasingly to scientific advances for solutions to major challenges, researchers must engage with the public and policymakers to develop and implement new technologies based on those advances to benefit society. For example, such engagement is essential to address climate change, as people and industries must quickly and equitably embrace renewable energy sources and sustainably powered vehicles and technologies. This NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) project will train STEM graduate students to integrate engineering, social and environmental science, and public policy to conduct research focused on accelerating the integration of renewable energy into the electric grid, taking advantage of renewable hydrogen and different energy storage capabilities. Such integration will ultimately help accelerate the decarbonization of transportation and other sectors. This project will use a novel science-to-policy (S2P) training program to teach students to engage stakeholder groups and understand and incorporate their needs into research programs while communicating the science, and prioritizing attention to diversity, equity, inclusion, and ethics. This project anticipates training eighty (80) Ph.D. students, including thirty (30) funded trainees, from different engineering programs, environmental sciences, sociology, and political science. Funded trainees will intern in legislative offices, government agencies, non-profits, and industry for hands-on career preparation with a tangible product, such as a policy recommendation or report. This project will convene expert practitioners from these areas to teach students and participate in research projects. Project faculty and researchers from engineering, policy, sciences, and humanities will implement an interdisciplinary training program providing Ph.D. students skills and experience necessary to address key scientific challenges to transportation decarbonization and to implement their findings in public policy. Faculty will also work with campus leadership to integrate elements of the S2P training program in campus-wide introductory graduate courses and collaborate with the National Science Policy Network to share this training program nationally. This training program is the first step in transforming STEM graduate education to better prepare students for any career and to translate societally beneficial research into public policy.Accelerating decarbonization of the transportation sector while continuing to integrate renewables into the electric grid is critical to address climate change. Towards this goal NRT trainees will pursue three key activities. First is to conduct cutting-edge research in integrating the high renewables electric grid with transportation infrastructure, investigating renewable hydrogen as a fuel and energy storage medium. Second is to understand policies around sustainability, air pollution, and renewable energy, learn to communicate science to all audiences, and appreciate the needs of various stakeholders to create equitable solutions for environmental justice. Third is to develop best practices for human interaction with renewable energy technology by designing solutions based on individual, societal, and political needs. Engaging key stakeholder groups during research and development will accelerate the deployment of renewable technologies and foster effective communication and decision-making on scientific topics. This project will prepare trainees to develop and deploy a model for scientific research that is closely connected with societal challenges through meaningful community engagement and responsive programs.The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new potentially transformative models for STEM graduate education training. The program is dedicated to effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary or convergent research areas through comprehensive traineeship models that are innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs.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.