A clean energy revolution is under way in Washington state, and the 天美影视传媒 is well positioned to be its epicenter.

Fueled by increasing demand for new generations of solar cells and batteries 鈥� buoyed by investments from the Biden and Inslee administrations as part of efforts to reduce carbon emissions 鈥� the marketplace for these industries is being measured in the billions and trillions of dollars, experts say.

With abundant hydroelectricity, manufacturing capacity and a supportive state government, Washington鈥檚 economic future is staked, in part, to clean energy.

鈥淭he drivers of a modern economy are clean technologies,鈥� said Brian Young, Gov. Jay Inslee鈥檚 evangelist for clean energy technologies.

Young, who works for the state Department of Commerce, travels the world encouraging businesses large and small聽to learn what Washington has to offer: manufacturing capacity, advanced technology solutions, a skilled workforce and a history of leading-edge research and development anchored by the UW, Washington State University and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

鈥淲e are on the radar, both nationally and internationally,鈥� Young said.

This fertile ground for economic development and growth has been nurtured for more than two decades. Gov. Inslee has advocated for moving away from fossil fuels since he served in Congress, and pushed for investments in clean energy throughout his tenure as governor.

In 2013, as a complement to Inslee鈥檚 Clean Energy Fund, the UW established the Clean Energy Institute, a collaborative, interdisciplinary academic hub aimed at discovering new ways to harness clean, scalable and equitable energy solutions and to help industry partners bring these solutions to the marketplace.

And, with direct Clean Energy Fund investment in 2017, the UW opened the CEI鈥檚 Washington Clean Energy Testbeds, a high-tech lab that has become a portal for researchers and industry partners to collaborate on clean energy solutions through cutting-edge technology, state-of-the-art materials development and scalable production techniques.

鈥淭he Testbeds provide the bridge for those technologies to get over that first chasm from lab experiments to pilot demonstration,鈥� said Rick Luebbe, CEO of Group14 Technologies, a battery materials company that continues to use the facility鈥檚 equipment to expand its technology platform.

Housed inside a plain, former manufacturing plant next to University Village, the Clean Energy Testbeds give clients laboratory, computing and manufacturing capabilities, supported by UW experts.

鈥淭hey can come through and can scale more quickly, and reach the marketplace and partners more quickly,鈥� said Daniel Schwartz, the CEI director.

Inside the Clean Energy Testbeds there are devices that replicate the power of the sun. A supercomputer can simulate a power grid. And a printing press can produce battery parts and solar panel arrays, thousands in a minute. It鈥檚 a kind of open-access Willy Wonka factory that transforms ideas and innovations into next generation, clean-energy commodities.

Research at the Testbeds will revolutionize e-transportation as we know it, said Jerry Schwartz (no relation to the CEI director), CEO of battery materials startup Ecellix. His company is working on technology to increase battery storage and life while decreasing cost and weight.

鈥淵ou know, it’s been 100 years since cars really were transformed 鈥� since Henry Ford,鈥� Jerry Schwartz said. 鈥淣ow, this battery is going to change our world, change it dramatically, change everything.鈥�

Ecellix鈥檚 technology and others like it will democratize the electric vehicle space, he added. Instead of $100,000, the price today for a Tesla X with a 300-mile range, Schwartz predicts consumer options for about $25,000, roughly in line with a Honda Civic.

The company鈥檚 origins stem from research at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and WSU. But instead of building facilities in Pullman, Schwartz looked across the Cascades to the UW鈥檚 Testbeds.

鈥淚t would have cost us several millions of dollars of direct investment to have the same capabilities we had at the Washington Clean Energy Testbeds on day one,鈥� Schwartz said.

About half of the Testbeds鈥� users are from companies like Ecellix and Group14, which pay hourly rates that give their engineers access to the facilities and equipment. Other clients include giant corporations like Microsoft, county utility operations and small startups. Academic researchers, supported by state and federal money, round out the teams working side by side inside the Clean Energy Testbeds.

Even though some of the companies using the Clean Energy Testbeds are competitors 鈥� both Group14 and Ecellix are pursuing silicon battery solutions 鈥� the fertile Washington state climate for clean energy technologies fosters collaboration.

鈥淭he market is so huge that we’re not competing with other silicon battery companies,鈥� Luebbe, of Group14, said. 鈥淲e’re competing with conventional graphite-based lithium-ion batteries.鈥�

Most negative electrodes in electric vehicle batteries today are manufactured with graphite. Silicon, the transformational technology in Group14 and Ecellix鈥檚 batteries, can store more juice, cost and weigh less, and recharge in about the time it would take to fill a tank with gasoline.

Group14 materials are slated to be in 2024 electric Porsche batteries. In the future, the company plans to commercialize batteries for all kinds of mobility, including freight and flight. They are selling silicon battery materials as fast as they can make them at plants in South Korea, Woodinville and, coming in 2024, Moses Lake.

Existing infrastructure in Washington state can help expand these endeavors. REC Silicon, for example, operates one of the largest silicon solar cell plants in the world in Moses Lake. A byproduct of its operation is a key ingredient in silicon batteries, making central Washington an attractive hub for this growing field.

The Washington state constellation of clean energy expertise 鈥� from its research institutions to manufacturing sites 鈥� builds off the principle that the work is imperative to environmental stewardship.

Daniel Schwartz, the CEI director, said that, because of the institute鈥檚 work, the UW and its partners are having outsized influence on the national conversation for how to align private, state and federal funding toward the clean energy innovation imperative.

At a recent roundtable convened by the Energy Futures Initiative, Breakthrough Energy and the Department of Energy, Daniel Schwartz said he was surprised to learn that the UW was the only university represented.

“The UW is charting a unique path to clean energy innovation, and it is getting noticed nationally,” said Schwartz, who also is the Boeing-Sutter Professor of Chemical Engineering and an adjunct professor of materials science and engineering at the UW.

The successful relationship of academia working alongside enterprise also means opportunities for UW students, from undergraduate internships to placements for postdoctoral researchers at companies hungry for expertise, Schwartz said.

鈥淲e have a huge opportunity to meet our climate goals, but also implement new technologies, develop new technologies. And we need a partner who can bridge that research and commercialization gap,鈥� said Young, the state鈥檚 clean energy economic development lead. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the Clean Energy Testbeds. That鈥檚 the 天美影视传媒.鈥�

For more information, contact Schwartz at dts@uw.edu.

White House honors UW engineering professor, associate dean Eve Riskin

, professor and associate dean in the UW College of Engineering, has been named a recipient of a 2019 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.

The White House in science, mathematics and engineering on Aug. 3. There were 15 recipients of the mentoring award 鈥� 12 individuals and three organizations, representing 13 states and the District of Columbia.

Riskin also is a professor of electrical and computer engineering and the College of Engineering’s . She is the faculty director of the UW’s , where she works on mentoring and leadership development programs for women faculty in STEM areas.

The White House established the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, or PAESMEM, in 1995; the award is administered by the National Science Foundation on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology. Each recipient receives a $10,000 award and a commemorative presidential certificate.

Previous of this award include in 2016, in 2009, in 2004, in 2003, the Women in Engineering Initiative (WIE) in 1998 and the UW-based Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology (DO-IT) program in 1997.

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National Science Foundation renews grant for UW Center for Evaluation & Research for STEM Equity

The National Science Foundation has renewed a three-year grant for the , totaling $376, 535. The grant is aimed at bringing change and greater inclusion to engineering and computer science.

, a research scientist in sociology, is principal investigator on the grant with , affiliate assistant professor of sociology. Litzler directs the center and Margherio is assistant director.

The UW Center for Evaluation & Research for STEM Equity conducts its research in tandem with the Making Academic Change Happen team at the , in Terra Haute, Indiana, which received $243,560 from the NSF. The UW center works with recipients of NSF “ grants working to broaden participation in engineering, improve student outcomes and build more inclusive educational environments.

The project team is called Revolutionizing Engineering Departments Participatory Action Research, or REDPAR for short. Read a from the project that tells more about its research agenda, and a .

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Kenneth Mugwanya of global health and team awarded $3 million by National Institutes of Health to study HIV prevention in Kenya

, a UW assistant professor of global health and public health, and his team have been awarded a five-year, $3 million grant by the National Institutes of Health.

The grant is for Mugwanya and the team to study the effectiveness of integrating methods of HIV prevention into sexual and reproductive health services for women in Kenya.

“Ensuring that young women seeking access to effective contraceptive methods in Kenya specifically, and Africa in general, are also able to protect themselves from HIV is critical for women empowerment and ending the HIV epidemic,” said Mugwanya, who is a physician-epidemiologist by training.

“Our hope is that providing family planning and HIV prevention services in a one-stop location will minimize barriers that women face in accessing HIV prevention services, including lack of time, cost and potential stigma of visiting a facility solely for HIV prevention.”

Other members of Mugwanya’s research team are , , , , and , all of the Department of Global Health, which is part of the UW School of Medicine and the School of Public Health.

Read more at the School of Public Health .

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Doctoral student Vikram Iyer honored by Marconi Society

, a UW doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering, has been named one of three recipients of the by the Marconi Society.

The society is a nonprofit group named for Italian inventor and electrical engineer (1874-1937) and “celebrates, inspires and connects innovators building tomorrow’s technologies in service of a digitally inclusive world.” Iyer works in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering’s .

The society’s Paul Baran Young Scholar Awards, named for a computer engineer and developer, recognize young scientists and engineers who show great capability as well as the potential to bring about digital inclusivity.

The Marconi Society honored Iyer for “creativity in developing bio-inspired and bio-integrative wireless sensor systems.” Iyer’s contributions, the society writes, “enable traditionally stationary Internet of Things devices to move, putting a new and scalable category of data collectors into the world to help us understand our environment at scale and with a fine degree of detail.”

The 天美影视传媒 and its 聽named Kevin Klustner executive director of the . When complete, CAMCET will be a 340,000-square-foot building that will bring together UW scientists and engineers with industry, civic and nonprofit partners to accelerate clean energy solutions for a healthy planet.

The building will house space for research, learning and cleantech prototyping, testing and validating. It will also offer space for organizations aligned with the UW鈥檚 clean energy innovation mission. CAMCET is the first building under consideration for a location in the UW West Campus 鈥� an area designated in the for 3 million square-feet of new development that will foster a thriving collaboration ecosystem for the UW and partners.

鈥淯W and its Clean Energy Institute have helped establish Washington as a leader in clean energy innovation and the CAMCET building will catapult Washington to even greater heights,鈥� said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. 鈥淲ith this center, our students will get the best education and prepare for jobs of the future, while our cleantech companies will grow and create good jobs for our economy.鈥�

鈥淯W is a powerhouse in advanced materials and clean energy research and development,鈥� said Klustner. 鈥淐AMCET will connect these UW researchers with local and global industry and nonprofit partners to bring critical clean technologies to the world. CAMCET, and West Campus at large, represents a new model for buildings on campus that will greatly benefit our students, faculty, and region and I鈥檓 proud to help lead this effort.鈥�

Klustner has held a variety of executive roles in technology and cleantech companies. Most recently, he was the CEO of Powerit Solutions, a cloud-based industrial energy efficiency platform, which was acquired by Customized Energy Solutions. Prior to Powerit, he was the CEO of Verdiem, a venture-backed software company in the energy efficiency space. Klustner was also the chief operating officer of WRQ, a privately held enterprise networking company. While there, he helped grow the company from $15 million to $200 million in revenues.

鈥淜evin brings a wealth of cleantech industry experience that will help ensure CAMCET builds on UW鈥檚 strengths to create a hub for clean energy research and technology in the Pacific Northwest,鈥� said , UW CEI Director and Boeing-Sutter Professor of Chemical Engineering. 鈥淓xternal partners that join UW in CAMCET will have access to a fantastic talent pool and the instruments and technology testbeds needed to advance their ventures. With CAMCET, UW will chart an exciting course for how we educate future clean energy leaders and build a community dedicated to getting clean energy technologies to market faster to combat climate change.鈥�

In January 2018, the Washington State Legislature allocated $20 million to the UW to establish CAMCET. The building will house:

• Research
  • : The CEI supports the advancement of next-generation solar energy and battery materials and devices, as well as their integration with systems and the grid.
  • : A joint research collaboration of the U.S. Department of Energy’s聽 and the UW.
  • Wet, dry, and computational lab space for advanced materials and clean energy research and training.
  • Market-rate leasable research spaces.
• Industry/ Government/ NGOs
  • : The CEI鈥檚 open-access, fee-for-use facility for prototyping, testing, and validating clean technologies. The facility takes no intellectual property from external users. It also hosts Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Investor-in-Residence programs available to cleantech innovators across the region.
  • Startup lab modules and hot desks.
  • Market-rate leasable spaces.
• Learning
  • Active learning spaces for students.
  • Seminar and meeting rooms.
  • Collaboration Spaces.
• Public
  • Venues for events, conferences, and K-12 and public outreach.

UW鈥檚 West Campus is located just south of the forthcoming U District Link Light Rail Station and within short walking distance of greenspace and the Portage Bay waterfront.

Subject to UW Regents鈥� approval, UW will seek a developer for CAMCET in 2019, with construction currently slated to begin in fall 2020.

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For more information, contact Suzanne Offen聽with the Clean Energy Institute at +1 206-685-6410 or聽soffen@uw.edu.

鈥淚鈥檓 proud to join this cadre of dedicated educators and mentors helping students become leading scientists and engineers,鈥� said Schwartz. 鈥淔ocusing on clean energy science, engineering and resource management at UW has brought top students from across the country to Seattle, where they have partnered with Northwest tribes and businesses to ensure the future of energy is being created here.鈥�

Starting in 2007, Schwartz launched an NSF-funded interdisciplinary graduate training program that used tribal clean energy research partnerships to attract top Native American students to graduate degree programs in UW鈥檚 College of the Environment and College of Engineering. The program was continued and expanded in partnership with Washington State University and Salish Kootenai College with U.S. Department of Agriculture funding, eventually including an undergraduate summer research experience program. Since the program launched, 26 students have completed doctoral degrees, with four awarded to Native Americans and four to other underrepresented minorities. Six masters have also been awarded 鈥� including two to Native Americans 鈥� and a tribal student-led startup company was founded. A signature achievement was the 2016 Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to Washington, D.C. on fuel partially made from tribal forest thinnings.

鈥淲hen you take into consideration the low number of Native Americans succeeding in graduate school STEM programs, you must recognize the number of tribal scholars that Dan has helped succeed, in one way or another,鈥� said UW doctoral student Laurel James.聽鈥淚, for one, would not be where I am today without his mentorship and opportunities for employment as I worked my way through the majority of my Ph.D. as a single parent.鈥�

In addition to his role as an educator and mentor, Schwartz is the founding director of the UW鈥檚 , an interdisciplinary research unit that supports the advancement of next-generation solar energy and battery materials and devices, as well as their integration with systems and the grid. With funds from the state of Washington, CEI has supported 152 graduate fellows pursuing clean energy research at UW. Through CEI, fellows receive professional development training, network with industry professionals and top clean energy researchers from around the world, and lead K-12 STEM outreach programs for Washington state schools.

While in Washington, D.C to receive the PAESMEM this week, Schwartz and other award recipients participated in the White House State-Federal STEM Summit to identify educational priorities for the nation.

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For more information, contact James Urton with the UW News Office at 206-543-2580 or jurton@uw.edu and Suzanne Offen with the CEI at 206-685-6410 or soffen@uw.edu.

A new facility for accelerating the clean energy innovation cycle opened in Seattle Feb. 16. The , a research unit at the 天美影视传媒, created the to increase the rate at which breakthrough science and engineering discoveries turn into market-adopted clean energy technologies. The state-of-the-art user facility has labs for manufacturing prototypes, testing devices and integrating systems. CEI unveiled the Testbeds at a celebration with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, cleantech leaders and clean energy researchers.

鈥淭he process of taking a clean energy research discovery and making a prototype, then rigorously testing and refining it for market readiness, requires equipment and expertise that is expensive to acquire, and rarely available when and where you need it,鈥� said CEI director and UW professor . 鈥淎s a result, too many start-ups have great ideas, but fail before fully demonstrating their technology. Amazingly, lack of easy access to facilities and expertise is often a barrier for big companies, too. The Washington Clean Energy Testbeds centralize these resources to help shorten the time between clean energy idea to prototype, while reducing the capital and providing the expertise a company needs to get a viable product in the hands of customers.鈥�

Located in a former sheet metal fabrication facility near UW鈥檚 Seattle campus, the 15,000-square-foot Washington Clean Energy Testbeds provide researchers and cleantech businesses customized training and access to top-quality fabrication, characterization and computational instruments. Specifically, these instruments are for printing, coating and testing the materials and devices needed to achieve ultra-low-cost solar cells and batteries; as well as developing the system integration software and hardware to optimize the performance of devices and systems like vehicles, buildings and the grid. At the Testbeds, users can:

• Print ultra-low-cost, thin-film solar cells and electronic devices using novel electronic inks.
• Fabricate and test new battery systems to dramatically increase performance without compromising safety.
• Develop and test energy management software that controls and optimizes how batteries, vehicles and buildings integrate with a clean energy grid.

The Washington State Legislature provided UW $8 million to plan and design the Testbeds. CEI engaged UW faculty, regional cleantech leaders and national research institutions like the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to create a facility that serves clean energy innovators.

鈥淭he Washington Clean Energy Testbeds are a tremendous resource for Washington鈥檚 and the world鈥檚 visionary clean energy entrepreneurs and researchers,鈥� said Gov. Inslee. 鈥淚 applaud CEI for building a center that will lead to the development of technologies to benefit our economy and environment. Our state鈥檚 commitment to clean energy remains strong.鈥�

For comparison, access to public energy research and testbed facilities often involves a competitive application and approval process.聽The Washington Clean Energy Testbeds鈥� open-access model requires only an initial consultation with Testbed management to ensure project feasibility and safety. Open-access is ideal for researchers and companies that want to rapidly advance their ideas.

鈥淚 wish these Testbeds existed when EnerG2 was developing its advanced carbon materials for energy storage,鈥� said EnerG2 CEO Rick Luebbe. 鈥淭his specialized facility connects clean energy startups to a supportive university, talented people, and the necessary instruments. It鈥檚 unlike anything in the country and offers a smart solution for slashing the time and funding needed to de-risk a technology concept.鈥�

Professor , a seasoned cleantech entrepreneur and global expert in electronic materials and emerging manufacturing methods for energy devices, displays and communication, will lead the Washington Clean Energy Testbeds. MacKenzie has founded and led five startup companies and holds over 110 patents and publications. In addition to leading the Testbeds and teaching at UW, he is currently the chief technical officer of Imprint Energy, a UC Berkeley spinout developing flexible, high-energy batteries based on large-area print manufacturing.

At the Testbeds, MacKenzie manages a staff of trained experts in fabrication and analysis of energy systems and devices. They work on-site to train users and support research and development efforts.

鈥淐EI鈥檚 vision for an open-access clean energy testbed model based at a world-class university with an innovation focus brought me from the Bay Area to Seattle,鈥� said MacKenzie. 鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled to help foster a community of distinguished faculty, bright students, and cleantech businesses that will work together to create solutions for a healthy planet.鈥�

The 鈥淪cale-up & Characterization鈥� portion of the Testbeds offers a platform for prototyping authentic-scale solar and storage devices as well as testing manufacturing processes. The lab includes a 30-ft-long multistage roll-to-roll printer for solar cells, batteries, sensors, optical films and thin-film devices and is the only one of its kind in the United States. The Washington Research Foundation (WRF), an organization that provides grants to support research and scholarship in Washington State, funded this sophisticated instrument and helped recruit MacKenzie and staff to Seattle.

The 鈥淪cale-up & Characterization鈥� lab also includes a controlled humidity and temperature room to enable specialized fabrication under precise atmospheric conditions. The collection of characterization instruments in the lab form a unique roster of capabilities tailored specifically for supporting scaled energy devices and modules. They allow for rigorous testing of new devices using solar simulators, environmental test chambers, battery cyclers, electron microscopes, X-ray spectrometers and other instruments.

WRF Innovation Professor and Kyocera Professor from UW will use the 鈥淪cale-up and Characterization鈥� lab for their work with the Battery500 consortium. Battery500 is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) program led by PNNL that aims to develop next-generation lithium batteries that have more than double the “specific energy” found in the batteries that power today’s electric cars. The multi-disciplinary consortium includes leaders from DOE, national labs, universities and industry, all of which are working together to make smaller, lighter and less expensive batteries that manufacturers can adopt.

The 鈥淪ystems Integration鈥� lab at the Testbeds provides an evaluation platform for testing the performance of energy devices and algorithms when integrated into real and simulated system environments. For example, a real-time digital simulator (RTDS) allows for modeling commercial and grid-scale system performance under normal and extreme conditions. System integration experiments using the RTDS can involve new software algorithms that control or optimize power infrastructure. The lab also includes flexible power hardware and battery storage devices up to 40 kW in scale, allowing authentic testing at the scale of an electric vehicle or commercial building. Battery Informatics, Inc., a UW spinout company, is using the Testbeds鈥� systems integration tools to evaluate the performance of their self-learning battery management system.

Another research initiative housed at the 鈥淪ystems Integration鈥� lab includes the Transactive Campus Energy Systems project. This first-of-its-kind regional partnership with UW, PNNL and Washington State University seeks to develop and demonstrate the technologies to cost effectively balance energy use among buildings, campuses and cities. Funding for this project comes from the Washington Department of Commerce鈥檚 Clean Energy Fund and DOE. UW professors and lead this project for UW and Testbeds users can access data researchers are drawing from devices and systems across UW鈥檚 campus.

鈥淭he Washington Clean Energy Testbeds harness the research knowledge and technical expertise of UW faculty and students for the creation of clean energy technologies that are cost-effective and reduce carbon emissions,鈥� said UW President . 鈥淎nd this facility will help train students in the software and hardware that underpins smart manufacturing and smart grid solutions, creating a pipeline of talent for the next generation of clean energy innovations.鈥�

In addition to lab space, the Testbeds offer users meeting and office space where they can work, collaborate, and further build their cleantech community. An entrepreneur-in-residence, currently John Plaza, will hold regular office hours. With more than 20 years of experience in the renewable energy sector, Plaza will provide users with insights about the commercialization process, target markets, product development, and fundraising strategies.

In summer 2017, CEI will open its Research Training testbed for students on UW鈥檚 campus. Part of the Washington Clean Energy Testbeds system, this facility provides UW students access to research-quality tools and training in clean energy concepts that cut across academic disciplines. CEI member faculty will host laboratory courses in the space and Testbeds users can access the additional instrumentation when not in use for teaching purposes.

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For more information, contact Suzanne Offen at soffen@uw.edu or 206-685-6410.

A dozen scientists and engineers from the 天美影视传媒 have been elected to the . According to a statement released by the organization, the new members were selected for “their outstanding record of scientific achievement and willingness to work on behalf of the academy in bringing the best available science to bear on issues within the state of Washington.”

Three of the new members from UW were chosen because they had been elected recently to one of the National Academies 鈥� the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine. The other nine were elected by current members.

In all, UW faculty make up half of the 24 new members, who will be formally inducted in September during an annual meeting at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

Elected through recent admission to a National Academy:

: professor of computer science and engineering, to the National Academy of Engineering

: professor of atmospheric sciences, to the National Academy of Sciences

: professor of pediatrics, director of the Center for Clinical and Translational Research and associate director of the Pediatric Clinical Research Center at Seattle Children鈥檚, to the National Academy of Medicine

Elected by current members of the Washington State Academy of Sciences:聽聽

: professor and chair of chemical engineering, adjunct professor of bioengineering

: professor of sociology

: associate professor of physiology and biophysics

: professor of oceanography

: professor of nursing, adjunct professor of medicine

: professor of environmental and forest sciences

: professor and chair of bioengineering

: professor of biochemistry, professor of chemistry

: professor of chemical engineering, director of the Clean Energy Institute, adjunct professor of materials science and engineering

Incorporated by legislation in 2007, the Washington State Academy of Sciences initially had just 105 members. With this new crop of members from UW and other institutions around the state, the academy’s total membership will rise to 264. The academy’s mission is “to provide expert scientific and engineering analysis to inform public policymaking in Washington, and to increase the role and visibility of science in the state.”

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For more information, contact James Urton in the UW Office of News & Information at 206-543-2580 or jurton@uw.edu.

The new institute 鈥� led by the in Los Angeles in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy 鈥� will harness more than $140 million of public and private investments to develop clean, innovative and energy-efficient manufacturing methods for our most energy-intensive industries.

鈥淭he Pacific Northwest has a decades-long history in energy efficiency investments designed to support a low-cost power system and competitive business environment,鈥� said Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell in a through the U.S. Senate鈥檚 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

鈥淥ver the years, energy efficiency programs in the Pacific Northwest have created a rich ecosystem of companies, local governments, utilities, contractors and organizations oriented toward advanced technologies, new applications, market testing, acceleration and deployment.鈥�

The Pacific Northwest鈥檚 contribution to this initiative will come through the Northwest Regional Manufacturing Center, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington. In addition to the UW鈥檚 Clean Energy Institute, participants will include Washington State University, Oregon State University, the Bonneville Power Administration and industry leaders across the region.

鈥淭he UW and the Pacific Northwest have long been leaders in both manufacturing and software technology,鈥� said , UW professor of chemical engineering and director of the Clean Energy Institute.

鈥淭he UW鈥檚 Clean Energy Institute is proud to be engaged in this partnership and this award will help further UW鈥檚 research and develop the next generation of clean energy smart manufacturing technologies that will create jobs and reduce our reliance on fossil energy.鈥�

The UW will host a clean energy and smart manufacturing research and development testbed at the Clean Energy Institute along with partner , which spun off from the UW in 2003. The university鈥檚 role in the institute comes in part due to $9 million in funding provided last year by the Washington Legislature.

鈥淲e were ready to seize this opportunity to partner with industry and the federal government because of the state鈥檚 initial investment,鈥� said Schwartz.

Both Schwartz and , Pacific Northwest National Laboratory鈥檚 associate laboratory director for energy and environment, lauded the efforts of the region鈥檚 congressional representatives to establish an arm of the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute to the area.

鈥淪en. Maria Cantwell and the entire northwest congressional delegation threw their support behind our proposal, for which we are grateful,鈥� said Virden in a . 鈥淥ur region has much to offer in terms of clean energy technology and, in linking advanced sensors, controls platforms and modeling to our historically strong manufacturing sectors, we can increase efficiency and help create jobs not only here but across the nation.鈥�

Regional partners will next focus on coordination of the Northwest Regional Manufacturing Center activities and prioritization of projects.

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For more information, contact Schwartz at 206-685-4815 or dts@uw.edu.

EnerG2 was by the American arm of BASF, one of the largest chemical and materials companies in the world.

The Paris talks were attended by thousands of delegates, including from the 天美影视传媒. At the time, UW researchers in Seattle the expansion of discussions to include public policy and human health, and emphasized the need for a timely, durable international agreement.

Now, a few UW faculty members comment on the signing as countries move toward implementing its contents.

, a UW professor of atmospheric sciences, calls the signing an “encouraging” step forward. But he notes that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was adopted in 1992, and the was signed in 1997, but never ratified by the U.S.

Since then, he said, the world has emitted more carbon dioxide than even the highest expert predictions at that time. The ‘s commitments are voluntary, he noted, with no mechanisms for enforcement, and its goals are modest.

“Much more aggressive steps are necessary to keep global warming in check, and time is running out,” Hartmann said. “The 2013 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report [on which he was a ] showed that we are about halfway to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that will produce 2 degrees Celsius of warming, and at present rates of release we will get there in about 25 years. We need to stop the increase in carbon dioxide to avert 2 C of warming, and the promises under the Paris Agreement will not achieve that. We need nations to do much more.”

, UW professor of oceanography and director of the UW , said the agreement “represents an important step for the international community in its effort to ‘limit dangerous inference of the climate’ as set out [in 1992] by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.”

She noted that each country sets its own voluntary . “Because of this bottom-up approach, the country pledges are more aspirational than was found in Kyoto, potentially resulting in much larger emission reductions than many thought possible.”

She added: “While some have said that the bold goal set in Paris of keeping warming below 2 C is unrealistic, the Paris Agreement gives confidence that the international community can work together to solve this defining challenge of this century. I am hoping for swift ratification of this agreement, and that countries with both large and small emissions pledge significant reductions in emissions.”

, a UW professor of political science and director of the UW , said “the Paris Agreement is a good step forward because China and India, along with industrialized countries, are on board.”

But he noted the pledges are voluntary. “Kyoto and other international agreements show that international agreements with mandatory targets face huge problems in domestic translation and implementation.”

He echoed others on the voluntary targets, and the lack of incentives to meet them. “This holds not only for China and India, but also for the U.S., where the Congress remains opposed to climate-change mitigation.” Prakash said he would like to see country-specific plans and budgets “before speculating on the possibility of the success of the Paris agreement.”

, a lecturer in the UW Jackson School of International Studies who writes on international relations and geopolitics, said “overall, it represents an essential step, a major move forward.”

But he wondered about the agreement’s focus on renewables 鈥� mainly solar and wind 鈥� rather than other options such as hydropower, fossil fuels with capture of carbon emissions, and especially nuclear power.

“We have seen, in the 1970s and 80s, what harm can be done by exaggerated claims about what renewable technologies can actually deliver,” Montgomery said. “Reducing carbon emissions significantly will require every means at our disposal.”

, a UW professor of marine and environmental affairs, called it “mission impossible.” She said: “We have a global-emissions goal we are not sure is correct, national goals that are in no way connected to it, and we really will [have no way to] know if we met it or not.”

She described the agreement’s more than per year to help developing countries enact new technology and mitigate and adapt to a changing climate as inadequate.

, a UW professor of chemical engineering and director of the UW , said that “the Paris Climate Agreement 鈥� combined with the [governmental] and [private] pledges to invest billions of new dollars in clean energy 鈥� is a signal that the world is committed to accelerating the development of scalable clean energy innovations.”

He noted that Washington state has already invested in the Clean Energy Institute and other efforts that join university researchers and national labs to develop new materials for renewable energy and integrate them into the electrical grid.

“What we need now is an ecosystem that has more fundamental scientific discoveries happening within earshot of the entrepreneurs and investors who share this same sense of urgency to mobilize against an environmental challenge that many of the world’s most powerful nations now recognize as a great threat to humanity.”

, a UW undergraduate in environmental sciences, forestry and economics who attended the summit as part of the International Forestry Students’ Association, said “to me, the signing of the Paris climate agreement is a signal 鈥� the sound of a call from the global world to this generation’s young professionals and students.

“It is telling us that we need to begin crafting creative solutions to accomplish these ambitious goals 鈥� this need stretches from finance to agriculture, international trade to urban design.”

Abraham recalls meeting people from around the world during her time in Paris.

“We all have a part to play, and the agreement is the reminder that we are not alone. In each country, each city, there will be hordes of people working to meet the goals of the agreement 鈥� and it is this new truth that I believe will make all the difference.”

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The state of Washington and the Chinese province of Sichuan, with the help of leading research universities, have pledged to prioritize clean energy and plans and designs that will encourage the development of climate-smart, low-carbon cities.

A memorandum of understanding, called the “2+2 MOU,” was signed Tuesday between the state and province as well as the 天美影视传媒 and Tsinghua University to catalyze the science, technology and investment needed to grow innovations that will underpin adaptable and resilient urbanization.

Gov. Jay Inslee and Wang Dongming, party secretary from Sichuan province, signed the agreement in Seattle during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit this week.

“Following the model of the landmark climate agreement signed by President Obama and President Xi, it’s incumbent upon centers of innovation like 天美影视传媒 and Tsinghua University, in cooperation with the state of Washington and province of Sichuan, to build the solutions that will address one of the most pressing existential challenges of our time,” said Gov. Inslee.

The memorandum of understanding pairs experts from the UW’s , , and several groups focusing on intelligent transportation with counterparts at Tsinghua University who work on similar research. These experts met for a planning conference earlier this month and also participated in several video conferences this summer to hammer聽out details of the agreement.

The ultimate goal is to lay a roadmap for Washington and Sichuan province to prioritize research that can complement investments being made in each state, in order to accelerate the science, engineering, planning and forecasting capabilities in both jurisdictions as they work toward creating more low-carbon cities.

Leaders from the two states and two universities, referred to in the agreement’s “2+2” name, will meet regularly over video conference calls and plan to have projects laid out by March for how to reach their goals.

“Leading research universities, such as the 天美影视传媒 and Tsinghua University, have a vital role in helping develop not just the technologies, but the policies and public awareness needed to create a more sustainable future,” said UW Interim President Ana Mari Cauce.

“This partnership aims to tackle global challenges, in particular energy issues and environmental problems confronting human beings. It will also be part of a wider effort to integrate university-led initiatives to the government and society as a whole,” said Tsinghua University President Qiu Yong.

This memorandum of understanding follows last year’s , signed by President Obama and President Xi, which cites climate-smart, low-carbon cities as a focal point for investment among both nations.

The UW and Tsinghua University also recently partnered (GIX), which will pioneer new models of global teaching and learning. This new agreement will create a master’s degree through GIX in clean energy.

Washington and Sichuan are aptly paired to collaborate on clean-energy solutions, said , director of the UW’s Clean Energy Institute and a chemical engineering professor. The province leads China’s clean energy production and has plans to significantly grow in the areas of solar, hydropower and wind.

Similar to Washington, which sends clean electricity up and down the West Coast, Sichuan province will grow its smart grid and set up an innovation center to help design new power systems for transmitting clean energy to China’s eastern urban areas.

“The dream is that this agreement will help us focus on research that can serve both countries’ needs for clean energy and create scholarship opportunities that can spur innovation in this space,” Schwartz said. “This is positioning a state and a province that have tremendous abilities to create low-carbon energy with leading cities and leading organizations that can do planning around climate-adaptable futures.”

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For more information, contact Schwartz at dts@uw.edu or call the Clean Energy Institute at 206-685-6833.

The formed when Washington’s governor and state legislators last summer allocated $6 million to create a research center at the university that will advance solar energy and electrical energy storage capacities. The institute will better connect and boost existing energy research at the UW as well as attract new partnerships and talent, including new faculty members.

“Our goal is to create record-breaking solar energy efficiencies, low-cost processing and the integrated systems that will make solar power the cornerstone of a new clean energy economy,” said , director of the institute and chair and professor of chemical engineering. “The Clean Energy Institute is enabling us to dive into the science and engineering that will lead to solar and energy storage technologies the world needs and wants.”

The funding will support the institute’s first two years. It came as part of a package last summer that also allocated $1.8 million to at the UW.

Solar panels dot many rooftops and power highway signs across the country, but the technology still hasn’t reached the lower cost and reliability needed for widespread adoption, Schwartz said. And even the best solar cells still need better energy storage capabilities to integrate seamlessly into the electrical grid.

The institute’s funding will help hire four new faculty members in the fields of advanced materials and energy systems. It will also provide fellowships to recruit six new graduate students and support about 20 graduate students pursuing out-of-the-box research in solar energy, batteries and smart grids. About half of the funding in the first year will go toward developing lab space and new instrumentation in the UW’s recently completed .

“The institute will really accelerate the pace of both scientific discovery and technology transfer at UW while educating the next generation of clean energy leaders,” said , the institute’s associate director and a chemistry professor. “Discovery is very important to innovation, and the state funding will allow us to take risks to find real breakthroughs.”

Engineers and scientists at the UW are currently making new materials that efficiently harvest energy from the sun and can be manufactured at a low cost. For example, one team is creating solar “inks” to coat surfaces as a way to make low-cost solar cells, while other researchers are creating plastic solar cells they hope can be mass produced. Key to this technology is designing materials at the molecular level and understanding how changes can impact the performance of a solar cell, Ginger said.

The institute also will support engineering research on how solar energy production, battery storage and smart-grid technology can work together to accelerate the scale-up of clean energy. As the state aims to meet ambitious greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals over the next decades, Schwartz said, Washington can’t expect its reliable hydroelectric power sources to grow with the economy.

“Solar energy is the one resource that can truly scale up going forward, but we need to be smart about the whole energy system to help it happen,” Schwartz said.

The institute will be an interdisciplinary hub for solar and battery research, drawing several dozen UW faculty from across campus as well as university, federal and state partners, including Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the UW’s Center for Commercialization and the Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute.

Inslee and Young joined speakers including Bullitt Foundation President Denis Hayes and Technology Alliance Executive Director Susannah Malarkey, as well as and faculty, staff and industry partners to inaugurate the institute and emphasize the need for energy innovation. Faculty and graduate students presented their research and invited guests toured the lab facilities.

鈥淚 am very pleased that this institute can help germinate and see the fruition of intellectual talent and put that to work right here at the 天美影视传媒,” Inslee said. “This is the culmination of a multi-decadal dream I鈥檝e had, and to see it come to pass it just a huge delight.鈥�

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For more information, contact Schwartz at ceidir@uw.edu聽or 206-685-6833.