Principal investigator
Qin (Christine) Lv
Funding
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Collaboration + support
Argonne National Laboratory; Colorado State University; Cornell University; Idaho National Laboratory; National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL); Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Purdue University; University of Auckland New Zealand; University of Colorado Colorado Springs; University of Texas at El Paso; Utah State University; Virginia Tech
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New engineering research center aims to electrify transportation, expand education
A major collaboration among听engineering, industry and education听is paving the way to the future of听electrified transportation. Launched听in 2020, ASPIRE鈥擜dvancing听Sustainability through Powered听Infrastructure for Roadway听Electrification鈥攊s a groundbreaking,听multidisciplinary center that explores听a diverse range of transportation听questions, from electrified highways听that energize vehicles to the听placement of charging stations, data听security and workforce development.
The Utah State University-led center鈥檚听inaugural director is Regan Zane,听previously a professor of electrical and听computer engineering at CU Boulder,听where he also received his bachelor鈥檚,听master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in听electrical engineering. And with听faculty across multiple departments听within the College of Engineering and听Applied Science involved in leading听roles with ASPIRE, the University听of Colorado Boulder plays a major听part in this new center focused on听developing infrastructure and systems听that facilitate the widespread adoption听of electric vehicles.
鈥淐U Boulder has a well-earned听reputation as a leader in sustainabilityfocused听research and innovation,鈥澨齭aid Vice Chancellor for Research听and Innovation Terri Fiez. 鈥淎SPIRE听will provide our researchers with an听exciting new opportunity for global听impact through the collaborative听reimagining of the future of听transportation as we know it.鈥�
ASPIRE鈥檚 work is based on听research, education and workforce听development, diversity and culture of听inclusion, and innovation. It aims to听improve health and quality of life for听everyone by catalyzing sustainable听and equitable electrification across the听transportation sector.
鈥淲e need to understand the factors听that are impacting the development听and adoption of this technology so听that we鈥檙e solving the right problems,鈥澨齭aid Qin (Christine) Lv, ASPIRE鈥檚 CU听Boulder campus director, co-principal听investigator of the Engineering听Research Center and lead for the data听research thrust within ASPIRE.
Within its research, ASPIRE will focus听on transportation, adoption, power听and data.
Data is important for electrifying听transportation, not only because it can听help designers plan how much charge听is available at which charging stations听and when, but where they should be听built, based on traffic data, consumer听preferences and more. Data security听is also important to protect charging听infrastructure and individual vehicles听from malicious attacks.
ASPIRE is also creating a connected听system encompassing K鈥�12听experiences, undergraduate and听graduate degrees, trades, and听professional workforce learning听pathways, with seamless transitions听among them, to develop a听diverse engineering workforce听trained to support cross-industry听transformations.
鈥淲e aim to break boundaries among听disciplines and develop a diverse听engineering workforce whose听members strive for inclusion and听equity for all, not only in engineering,听but also in the society as a whole,鈥澨齭aid Dragan Maksimovic, co-director听of ASPIRE鈥檚 Engineering Workforce听Development and member of its听power research thrust, and Charles听Victor Schelke Endowed Professor听of Electrical, Computer & Energy听Engineering at CU Boulder.
The center will partner with schools听and community organizations in听Boulder and Denver to strengthen听engineering and climate change听education in the classroom, in afterschool听programs and in summer听engineering design camps at CU听Boulder. They will also assist with听professional development for听teachers鈥攑articularly those in rural听areas鈥攖o strengthen their familiarity听and confidence in STEM curriculum.听All of these efforts will be backed听by a vast, open and continually听growing library of high-quality听STEM and design curricula and听educational content housed on the听TeachEngineering.org website.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to separate diversity听and a culture of inclusion from听engineering workforce development听here. Instead, we are going to include听those goals and items from the听start to create a much richer, more听effective, more promising and more听inclusive workforce development听initiative overall,鈥� said Jacquelyn听Sullivan, founding co-director of the听Integrated Teaching and Learning听Program at CU Boulder and ASPIRE鈥檚听director of K鈥�12 engineering听education. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a different way听of thinking.鈥�