Lead Institution: Arizona State University (single-institution proposal)
More rapid development of solar energy is stymied by the high (but declining) costs of solar energy systems, the relatively low efficiencies of such systems, regulatory hurdles that impede development, and uncoordinated governmental policies. Overcoming such obstacles demands a new kind of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) workforce?one skilled in technical subjects at the heart of solar energy technologies, but also well versed in the socio-economic (e.g., social, economic, behavioral, policy) and commercial aspects of solar energy. Arizona State University (ASU) is addressing these needs through a new professional Science Master?s Degree in Solar Energy Engineering & Commercialization. This rigorous 30-credit-hour program is designed for full-time students to complete in 12 months, but it will also be available to online and part-time students. Our students, who will already have a Bachelor?s degree in a STEM field, will take technical and nontechnical courses. Special program features include a course on Solar Energy & Public Policy that involves a trip to Washington DC, and strong interactions with the solar energy industry through a summer research project and internship opportunities. The broader impacts of the proposed Science Master?s Degree program include the wider application of solar energy achieved by educating the future leaders of the field in the societal, business, policy, and regulatory aspects of solar energy while still maintaining a rigorous technical grounding. Women and underrepresented minorities, including Native Americans, are recruited by working with existing organizations at ASU that target these groups.
Solar energy is arguably the most important type of sustainable energy for the state of Arizona and the United States. Equally important, solar energy holds the potential for significant job creation at the state and national level. Given the nature of the technical and nontechnical (e.g. social, financial, regulatory) challenges facing solar energy projects, it is essential to educate future solar energy leaders in both aspects of the industry. Prior to receiving National Science Foundation (NSF) funding, Arizona State University (ASU) offered a number of solar-energy-related courses in electrical and mechanical engineering, alternative energy technologies, policy and architecture; however, there was no existing program to integrate this interdisciplinary field into a single graduate degree. The NSF funding facilitated establishment of ASU's Professional Science Master's in Solar Energy Engineering and Commercialization (PSM SEEC), which offers advanced, interdisciplinary education in solar energy to students with backgrounds in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). The objective of the PSM SEEC is to enable graduates to pursue careers in industry, government, or the nonprofit sector that involve solar energy and its utilization. In advance of ASU's grant proposal, a brief needs assessment was conducted. The ASU Center for Research on Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology contacted representatives from Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project, Abengoa Solar Inc. and EnviroMission (USA) Inc. to discuss their hiring needs in solar energy. A particularly important need was found for technical photovoltaic and solar thermal training, and for training in areas such as project economics, project management and development, and entrepreneurship. In response to this needs assessment, all of these elements were incorporated into the PSM SEEC curriculum. An Industrial Advisory Board ensures that the curriculum remains responsive to the ever-changing needs of the solar industry. Students select courses from both technical and nontechnical tracks, spanning a number of academic programs and schools. Opportunities exist for engagement with the solar energy industry and/or government policymakers, leading to a required culminating week-long seminar in Washington DC, and an applied research project. The 30-credit-hour degree program is meant to be completed in 12 months for full-time students. To our knowledge, such a PSM degree does not exist at any other institution. Similar to other PSM programs, the target audience is individuals with a BS in a STEM field, and who desire a graduate degree that doesn’t necessarily lead on to a PhD. Unlike an MBA program, the PSM allows students to develop the necessary business acumen while honing their technical expertise in solar engineering. NSF's $700,000 award to ASU allowed for $27,200 in fellowship funding for 19 full-time students, establishment of a half-time Program Manager position, and a small salary stipend for a faculty member to serve as the Program Director. Toward the end of the funding period, a $20,000 grant balance was used to provide fellowships to an additional five students at levels ranging from $5,000 to $3,750. The PSM SEEC admitted its first cohort of students in January 2011. Most students have chosen to attend full-time, completing the degree within 12 consecutive months. During the NSF grant's three funding years (July 2010-July 2011, July 2011-July 2012, July 2012-September 2013), 41 students were enrolled, and 27 graduated. The enrollment numbers include students who will not graduate until after the reporting period has concluded. Only one of the 41 students dropped out of the program. While it is difficult to track all of our alumni, those who do maintain communication report great success at finding employment in the solar industry within six months of graduation. True to the interdisciplinary model of the PSM degree, our alumni work at a wide variety of jobs for a range of employers. PSM SEEC alumni are working for manufacturers such as First Solar and Power One; installers and energy managers such as Solar City, Net Zero Solar, Natural Power and Energy, and Ameresco; and policy and non-profit organizations such as the Kris Mayes Law Firm and the Arizona Community Action Association. ASU is striving to leverage the momentum created by the NSF grant and we hope to continue the PSM SEEC program long after NSF funding has expired. Some accomplishments that will help our efforts include securing membership in the Western Regional Graduate Program, a reciprocity program that allows students from 14 Western states to participate in the PSM SEEC at in-state tuition rates. We also established an accelerated undergraduate/graduate degree program for qualified ASU mechanical engineering students. Finally, the PSM SEEC curriculum served as a model to create a professional certification course for those currently working in the solar industry. To date, cohorts from First Solar and the Dubai Energy and Water Authority have completed the SEEC certification program.
