Letter from the Director

 
The focus of this issue is Global Energy. As resource supplies continue to decline and climate change threatens our future, our researchers are collaborating with institutions worldwide to develop more efficient, affordable, and environmentally friendly technologies. In fact, Penn State recently established the Joint Center for Energy Research with Dalian University of Technology (DUT) in China. A workshop and official opening ceremony were held in April 2011. Penn State President Graham Spanier, Provost Rodney Erickson, Vice President for Research Hank Foley, and Vice Provost for Global Programs Michael Adewumi met with DUT President Jinping Ou and Vice President Guiling Ning. They recognized the importance of U.S.–China and global collaboration in clean energy research and development, and education. Tom Richard, director of Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment, and I visited DUT to meet with leaders and faculty members in May 2011.

Also in April 2011, the Electricity Markets Initiative, led by Andrew Kleit, professor of energy and environmental economics, held its first conference. Over 80 attendees heard presentations from government, industry, and university representatives. In November 2010, energy researchers from the Institute took part in Penn State Energy Day, a daylong series of presentations, at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. to highlight energy research at Penn State.

Another major ongoing initiative at Penn State is the Regional University Alliance, a five-university consortium organized to provide a range of research services to the U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory. This initiative is coordinated by Tom Richard; Alan Scaroni, associate dean for Graduate Education and Research, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences; and myself.

The Institute continues to grow and I am pleased to announce two new faculty affiliates. Samuel A. Oyewole, assistant professor of environmental health and safety engineering, and Russell T. Johns, professor of petroleum and natural gas engineering have joined the Institute. Johns brings with him the Gas Flooding Joint Industry Project, an industrial consortium investigating a wide range of issues around gas flooding.  

In the previous issue, I mentioned that the Institute, with support from the University, the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, and the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, was in the process of acquiring and renovating a new building. The building, now finished, houses several faculty members and their students. It gives us much needed research space and the ability to expand and attract new faculty affiliates without sacrificing research space and equipment.

It’s obvious our faculty and students are passionate about energy research from the many awards received each year. Over the past year, researchers were presented with awards related to research, teaching, service, and publications from Penn State as well as external organizations. In addition, EMS Energy Institute researchers were responsible for over 50 energy-related journal publications in 2010 and received 1,300 science citations.    

Even in the face of ongoing economic challenges, and budget restrictions, I have witnessed the launch of many groundbreaking research projects and initiatives. The Institute recognizes and is grateful for the ongoing support from the University, and the funding from state and federal agencies and industries, which allow us to continue our mission. We are looking forward to continuing our collaborations and cooperations with researchers and industrial and government organizations within the U.S. and worldwide in order to further advance research and development towards solving global energy problems.  

Dr. Chunshan Song 
Director, EMS Energy Institute 
Associate Director, PSIEE 
Distinguished Professor of Fuel Science and Chemical Engineering