RPI Opens Doctoral Program in Fuel Cell Science

21 June 2005

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) announced a $4.8 million interdisciplinary program to train doctoral students in fuel cell science and engineering. The program is supported by a $3.2 million, first-of-its-kind fuel cell research education grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) combined with a $1.6 million investment by Rensselaer.

The program, which begins this fall, will integrate a range of disciplines within and among engineering, science, and management, involving faculty and facilities from six Rensselaer academic departments and six Rensselaer research or student centers.

The funding will support full tuition and provide an annual $30,000 stipend for each student’s two-year research fellowship. NSF’s funding was awarded through their Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Program.

Participating research centers at Rensselaer are: Center for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Research; the new Center for Future Energy Systems; Center for Polymer Synthesis; Flexible Manufacturing Center; Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship; and Archer Center for Student Leadership.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute opened the Center for Future Energy Systems on 7 June. The new $20 million research center, in partnership with Cornell University and Brookhaven National Laboratory, is focused on innovation in and commercialization of energy conservation and renewable energy systems.

The need for an adequate supply of affordable, accessible, sustainable energy is the overarching issue of the 21st century. Energy security is the “space race” of this millennium. But we cannot just drill our way to energy security, we must innovate our way to energy security...

—Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson