CHARLOTTE — UNC Charlotte has established a School of Energy — the first of its kind — to tackle issues tied to energy grid modernization, energy research and workforce development, the Charlotte Business Journal reported on Thursday.
This is a deliberate next step in UNC Charlotte’s larger energy strategy, says UNC Charlotte Chancellor Sharon Gaber.
“We will prepare graduates for the jobs companies need to fill, work with industry to move promising technologies into use and help attract new companies and investment to the region. Our goal is for Charlotte to be known not only as a place where energy companies operate, but as the place where new energy technologies and talent are developed,” she says.
The school will be housed in the William States Lee College of Engineering. Initial programming includes targeted engineering-based bachelor’s degrees, one in electromechanical engineering technology and another in mechanical engineering technology. A master’s program in applied energy and electromechanical engineering is planned as well.
Those academic programs will address grid automation, transmission-line design and energy-component manufacturing. Additional programming will be developed to address critical industry needs, says Robert Cox, founding director of the School of Energy. He sees room to modernize existing offerings, expand graduate-level programming and concentrate on key areas to meet industry needs.
Read the full story on CBJ’s website here.