Experiential Learning Opportunities

EmPOWERment trainees engage in experiential learning encounters designed to expand their capacity to create innovative solutions to sustainable energy problems.

Interwoven within the framework of the EmPOWERment program are activities that have been designed to foster an innovative mindset in trainees that will be instrumental in tackling many of the complex challenges facing a sustainable energy future.

The Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Data-driven Sustainable Energy Systems is the curricular component of the EmPOWERment program, consisting of 19 units of interdisciplinary coursework that students complete in addition to their main PhD coursework. As part of this specialization, students are required to take a foundations course - ISE 6020: Foundations of Data-Driven Sustainable Energy Systems and a capstone course - PUBAFRS 8620: Innovating for Sustainable Energy Systems. Both of these courses have been designed to offer students the opportunity to increase their innovation capacity through development of innovative solutions to sustainable-energy problems. In addition to weekly reflections about topics affecting sustainable energy, in ISE 6020 students work in small groups to develop a project-proposal outlining a potential solution to a sustainable energy problem. In the capstone course, students work in teams on a case-study submitted by energy partners to develop an innovative solution over the course of the class.

Students will work with the program coordinator and their mentoring team to identify paid summer internship opportunities within the energy sector that are unique to their specific career goals, when appropriate.

INNOVATE-O-thon™ is a yearly event hosted by Ohio State's Institute for Materials Research. While in the program, EmPOWERment trainees will participate in the weekend-long intensive externship program to develop an innovative solution to a sustainable energy problem submitted by participating companies.