Research in Sustainable Energy for sub-Saharan Africa

Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland OH

Investigators

Abstract

With this award Professors Lacks and Sankaran of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) will carry out collaborative research with faculty from the University of Botswana (UB). In this International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) project, students from the U.S. and UB together will engage in research on sustainable energy. The projects will be supervised by UB faculty in the Departments of Physics, Biology and Mechanical Engineering and will address topics within the theme of sustainable energy relevant to the desert environment ? specifically, solar energy and biofuels from plants that thrive in arid conditions. The intellectual merit of this project is its multidisciplinary approach to sustainable energy research. Projects address materials for solar devices (both solar concentrators and photovoltaic devices), a study of the technical/economic/ecological/social barriers limiting energy use in Botswana, and the characterization of varieties of locally grown crops (sorghum) for their use as biofuels. The broader impacts include training students in sustainable energy research with a global perspective and development and dissemination of knowledge on the multidisciplinary nature of sustainability. To further support the development of a global science and technology workforce, the project includes professional development activities, including weekly research seminars and journal club meetings, as well as social and cultural activities. These efforts build upon successful mentorship of undergraduate research by Professors Lacks and Sankaran as well as existing sustainable energy initiatives of the government of Botswana. This project is jointly funded by NSF?s Office of International Science and Engineering and its Engineering Directorate?s division of Chemical, Biological, Environmental and Transportation (CBET) engineering.