CAES May 2022 Newsletter

Microscopy and Characterization Suite (MaCS) Seed Grants Awarded

The Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) is pleased to announce the MaCS Seed Grant Program. With support from Boise State CAES, Idaho State CAES, and the Boise State Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering, this grant program provides opportunities to staff scientists, faculty and students at CAES Consortium members to utilize the equipment and expertise in the CAES Microscopy and Characterization Suite (MaCS). We aim to promote research in all science fields, as well as increase the MaCS user base.

Congratulations to the following awardees:

David Pearson, Department of Geosciences, Idaho State University
Elton Graugnard and Jake Soares, Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University
Peter Mullner and Shane Palmer, Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University

Interested in Applying?

Awards are open to any researcher from the CAES Consortium in any discipline. The lead PI should be a faculty member at Boise State University or Idaho State University. Co-PIs from all CAES Institutions are encouraged.

MaCS Seed Grant Program Information and Application Here

For questions related to this program please email yaqiaowu@boisestate.edu with the subject line: Your Name, MaCS Seed Grant Program.

Updates and Upcoming Events

EPI Power Talk: Intraday Markets, Wind Integration and Uplift Payments, 5/4 at 11am MST Register Here for EPI Power Talk: Indraday Markets
DOE Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Program Awards, Apply Here for SCGSR (Application Deadline: 5/4/2022)
EPI Power Talk: Economic Opportunities and Challenges for Idaho with Clean Energy, 5/19 at 11am MST Register Here for EPI Power Talk: Economic Opportunities
Idaho Ignite Faculty Summer Workshop, Tuesday/Thursday via Zoom, 6/7-7/14/22, Apply to Attend Here Idaho Ignite

CAES Supports Student Tour of INL

Students from Boise State’s Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSMSE) and the Nuclear Energy Club, along with Brian Jaques, BSU Assistant Professor, Nuclear Energy Focus Lead, and CAES Fellow, traveled to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) April 18, 2022 to tour the facilities.

The students were taken on a tour that showcased Idaho’s rich history in nuclear energy as well as state-of-the-art nuclear energy research, which included EBR-I, the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), the Hot Fuels Examination Facility (HFEF), the Irradiated Materials Characterization Laboratory (IMCL), and the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC). This tour provided the students an opportunity to understand the capabilities available at the INL to promote collaboration, research, networking and potential future employment.

This tour was supported and sponsored by the CAES Travel Grant program, which provides up to $2,000 for CAES affiliated travel to strengthen connections, facilitate team building, and seed opportunities that advance the vision and mission of the CAES.

If you would like to apply for the CAES Travel Grant Program, please email your request to caes@boisestate.edu.

Student COMSOL Workshop May 2022

Students are invited to join Dr. Zhangxian (Dan) Deng for a free COMSOL workshop this Summer. This is an in-person workshop only and will meet for two weeks. This workshop is BYOC (Bring Your Own Computer) and is limited to 30participants. Student COMSOL training module download will be provided.

The finite element method is a popular technique for numerically solving differential equations arising in mechanical, electrical, and biomedical engineering. This workshop will provide a two-week long training on COMSOL Multiphysics, which is a commercial finite element analysis tool.

After completing this workshop, participants are expected to gain a basic understanding of simulating mechanical, electrical, thermal, and magnetic systems. A couple of lectures will also cover more advanced topics, such as multiphysics coupling, nonlinear material properties, and solving general partial differential equations.

Meeting Time and Dates: May 9-20th 12-2pm

Location: MEC 307

Questions?

Contact: zhangxiandeng@boisestate.edu

New Fall 2022 Course: Geopolitics of Energy

The global energy playing field is at the center of many of today’s agendas, as international developments affect security, safety and sustainability. The Russian invasion of Ukraine highlights challenging choices for importers of Russian natural gas and oil. Operators of critical energy infrastructure are also on alert for cyber-attacks. Battles for the control of nuclear plants similarly raise questions about safety.

Alongside these developments, clean energy is highlighted as a way to minimize pressures over resources and to address net zero carbon goals. Such a transition could reconfigure the global system that has been in place since World War II. Relationships among countries, sources of power (societal and electricity-based), globalization, and the economic trajectories of developed and developing countries are all likely to be impacted. Who benefits and who may lose?

This course examines the complex intersection of energy and international politics. Students interested in energy from all disciplines are welcome. No prerequisites.

Graduate and Undergraduate: PUBADMN 597/ENG 597, URBAN498/ENVSTD498/POLS498/GLOBAL498

(Note: Undergraduate listings for this course will be included in the registration system by the week of April 4th.

If you have any difficulty registering, contact Dr. Araujo, kathleenaraujo@boisestate.edu)

Wednesdays, 6-8:45 pm MT, all virtual

Instructor: Dr. Kathy Araujo