“Environmental sustainability is vital to human society,” wrote researchers from Purdue University Environmental and Ecological Engineering (EEE) and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T). As researchers though, they don’t just write it; they are dedicated to acting accordingly.

This summer, about 20 researchers at both universities (including EEE professors, Hua Cai, Rebecca Ciez, John Howarter, Inez Hua, and Director of Office of Professional Practice Philip Dunston) were awarded a cumulative $3 million in grants to establish a new graduate program focused on integrating master’s and PhD graduates into environmental sustainability industry careers. Their project, “Next Generation Technology and Talent Driven by Environmental Sustainability,” received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Traineeship (NRT) program. The NRT program will fund around 22 students in their research, studies, and discovery.

Purdue EEE/CCE Professor Inez Hua, the project’s Principal Investigator (PI), shares that, “at most universities in the United States, there's a clear pathway for how to go from a PhD to a university job. The pathway for PhD students going into industry has been more ad hoc. We need professors, and we like flexibility, but we also want to give students who are interested, some clear and more formal ways into industry.”

The program will not only help students reach career goals, but also aid industry, company, and worldwide initiatives to increase environmental sustainability.

“T” Model of Student Development

In the coming year, doctorate students from a variety of engineering disciples will be admitted into the new program at both universities. The education and training activities are guided by the Engineering for One Planet (EOP) framework. Hua describes the model of the program as a “T.” The stem of the “T” focuses on the PhD or master’s portion, which will be a typical degree including an outcomes-based curriculum and doctoral dissertation.

The cross bar of the “T” represents the additional experiences and education offered in the program including at least one non-academic research experience at a for-profit organization aligned with the student’s dissertation topic, and formal, explicit training in communication, ethics, and teamwork in a project-based course. Together, these aspects create a program with considerable depth and breadth.

Impact: Successful Students and Shifting Mindsets

Despite what degree a student chooses (Environmental, Mechanical, Agricultural, etc.) all research will target three main topics: greening the digital economy, decarbonizing electricity and steel, and transportation.

When asked about the end goals for this project, Hua responded, “I hope that we have just incredibly successful PhD students. I hope our students will have published really impactful papers, and that means they're read not just by universities, but by industries. I hope that they'll be on path to the careers that they want.” But she doesn’t end there, her goals are even broader.

“Long term, I hope these students with their deep technical expertise and expertise of the science of sustainability, will help change company mindsets about sustainability.”

Luckily, this shift is already underway. According to the LinkedIn Global Green Skills Report 2023, job postings requiring at least one green skill grew by 22.4% from 2022, and green talent in the workforce grew by 12.3%. There is a widening green skills gap that the Boston Consulting Group estimates could lead to a shortage of 7 million green energy workers by 2030.

Inez and the other professors at Purdue and NC A&T are working to prepare students who can fill those needs.

Dr. Clayton J. Clark, Associate Dean at the College of Engineering NC A&T, and PI of the project for North Carolina says, “North Carolina A&T student researchers have a history of improving the human condition, and now they can continue to do so with sustainability always in mind. With this program, students from both institutions can elevate to levels of expertise that will have a lasting impact in multiple fields for the present and future generations."

The “Next Generation Technology and Talent Driven by Environmental Sustainability” program will help students reach new careers and aid initiatives to further environmental sustainability. Environmental sustainability is vital to human society, and by working together with universities and industries, these researchers are confident they can learn, discover, and make a difference.

Read the official award announcement: https://bit.ly/NRT-Purdue

Application to the program is open now and closes December 15, 2024. To apply visit: purdue.link/NEXT

Questions? Email: Inez Hua – Purdue | Clayton Clark – NC A&T