The Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) at Boise State University has announced seven faculty who will serve as key campus leads for focused areas of energy studies. These faculty members will serve Boise State and the regional community in implementing the new CAES strategy, and will be vital to promoting connection and collaboration for the energy studies community.
These faculty members also will be the key contacts for industry, government and academic partners wishing to engage with Boise State through CAES in specific areas of research.
The faculty leads are:
- Lejo Flores – Energy – Water Nexus
- Brian Jaques – Nuclear Energy
- Sin Ming Loo – Cybersecurity
- David Estrada – Advanced Manufacturing
- John Gardner – Innovative Energy Systems
- Kathleen Araujo – Energy Policy
- Cathie Olschanowsky – Computing, Data and Visualization
“Under the leadership of Noel Bakhtian, CAES has released a new strategy which aims to develop and empower collaborative and innovative leaders who will accelerate the deployment of impactful energy solutions for our global society,” said Estrada, an associate professor in the Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering. “I’m extremely excited to work with our Boise State CAES faculty leads, all of whom have a demonstrated passion for mentoring students and conducting impactful research.”
CAES is a research and education consortium bringing together Boise State, Idaho State University, the University of Idaho, the University of Wyoming and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) – a national laboratory dedicated to supporting the Department of Energy’s (DOE) efforts in nuclear science, renewable energy and national security.
Since opening in 2009, the impact CAES has had on Boise State faculty and student research alone cannot be overstated. Through faculty and student collaborations at CAES, Boise State has become a leader for materials science and advanced manufacturing in nuclear energy.
“The CAES partnership continues to provide outstanding collaboration opportunities with our partners. I am sure that with the leadership of our Boise State faculty the new strategic focus areas will prosper,” said Harold Blackman, the interim vice president for research.
Research conducted at CAES has influenced policy within the state of Idaho and beyond. Boise State also is home to several CAES-related entities, including the Energy Policy Institute led by Kathy Araujo, the CAES Energy Efficiency Research Institute led by John Gardner, the Microscopy and Characterization Suite led by Yaqiao Wu and the CAES Technical Assistance Program led by Dick Sevier.