Archives: Monthly Archives: November 2022

In Connecticut, Climate Change is Another Way to Say Opportunity

A panel of University of Connecticut climate experts discussed how Connecticut could become the Silicon Valley of sustainable energy during a roundtable in Greenwich on Nov. 16. CEE faculty members Guiling Wang (left) and Baikun Li (right) joined the forum in discussing how those skilled in humanities and social sciences can help convince communities of

The following text is from UConn Today:

"UConn will install several fuel cells around campus this year, building on the success of the fuel cell power plant originally installed at the Depot Campus in April 2012. That fuel cell has supplied the Depot with heating, cooling, and electricity for almost a decade.

Besides providing heat, air conditioning and electricity around campus, the new fuel cells will also help the state learn best practices for distributing the technology in a local grid... The distributed fuel cells are just one of many initiatives the University is taking in concert with the Eversource Energy Center to help plan the state’s future low-carbon electrical grid...

Expanding and improving the grid has gained urgency now that Connecticut is developing offshore wind projects. Integrating large, intermittent sources of generation can strain other parts of the grid which have to balance that power. It can also strain local communities... Figuring out how to integrate these big new renewable developments with the grid isn’t just the job of engineers. People in the affected communities need to like the project and want it, or it won’t happen.

People skilled in the arts—in graphic and industrial design, in presentation and public speaking and persuasion—will all have a role in helping Connecticut adapt to climate change and transition its economy to one based on clean energy, added UConn Civil and Environmental Engineer Baikun Li.

Li and fellow engineers Guiling Wang and Leslie Shor discussed challenges around drought, agriculture and wise water use in Connecticut, as well as UConn’s new climate science minor and opportunities for all students, high school and undergraduate, to participate in research and gain job experience in the field even before they gain their bachelors degree.

'Many of the jobs are born here in Connecticut,' Pasaogullari said. 'We have the knowledge, the companies, the supply chain—we could be the next Silicon Valley of energy.'"

Read the full article here.

Journal Article: Reframing Neurodiversity in Engineering Education

UConn CEE is pushing the frontiers of education by reframing neurodiversity to enhance the creativity of the engineering workforce. The topic of changing our mindsets towards neurodiversity in education is explored in this recent conceptual analysis article by Marisa Chrysochoou, Arash Zaghi, and Connie Syharat:

"In summary, we argue that the perception of neurodiversity as a deficit, along with the overreliance on traditional pedagogical methods in engineering courses, is severely limiting both the participation of neurodiverse students in engineering fields and the creativity of the national engineering workforce. It also places an undue psychological and financial burden on families that require additional resources to support neurodiverse student success, creating an often hidden but substantial equity issue.

To enhance the creative potential of the next generation of engineers, a paradigm shift in engineering education is sorely needed. We believe that a shift from a deficit perspective to a strengths-based model has the potential to empower students to leverage their individual strengths, while also reducing the suffering of neurominority students who have been marginalized by an education system designed to meet the needs of the neurotypical majority."

Read the full article here.

AEHS Conference 2022 Student Competition Runner-Up: Kayla Turner

November 5, 2022

From October 17-22, the AEHS Foundation hosted its 38th East International Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water, and Energy in Amherst, Massachusetts. We are very proud to congratulate one of our CEE students, Kayla Turner, for placing as a runner-up in the conference's student competition.

"...My presentation date was the 18th. I was able to attend a few platform sessions on PFAS and talk to companies in attendance before my three-hour presentation window," Kayla said. "My poster was titled 'In-Situ Persulfate Oxidation of Soil Contaminated with Hydraulic Oil at a New Jersey Site.' Throughout this window, I summarized my research and answered questions from conference attendees. These ranged from questions about my role in the project, treatment details, explanation of data trends, and future direction."

According to the AEHS Foundation's website, the conference attracts 600-800 attendees annually, including a wide variety of representation from state and federal agencies, military, industry (including railroad, petroleum, transportation, and utilities), environmental engineering, environmental consulting, and academia. A strong and diverse technical program is developed each year in concert with a variety of educational, social, and networking opportunities.