Dr. Biswajit Das, UNLV and his research team featured as the Top Story in December 15, 2017 NSF Science360 News. Using nanotechnology, not water, to clean solar panels. Part of the NSF Nevada EPSCoR Solar Energy-Water-Environment Nexus in Nevada project, #IIA-1301726.
Dr. Kwang Kim, NASA EPSCoR CAN Recipient, NV Energy Professor of Energy and Matter, ASME Fellow, University of Nevada, Las Vegas has been elected to the rank of National Academy of Inventors Fellow. Dr. Kim has been chosen for induction at the Fellows Induction Ceremony in April, 2018 in Washington DC, “having demonstrated a highly prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and the welfare of society.” Congratulations Dr. Kwang Kim!
Nevada teachers took part in a program to promote interest in STEM fields using drones. The project partners included Nevada State College (NSC), the Desert Research Institute (DRI), and Clark County School District (CCSD). The 25 in-service teachers received Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) training and participated in a lesson plan competition to use UAS to stimulate student interest in STEM fields. The winning teacher received a funded field trip to NSC for her AP physics class to receive hands-on practice with UAS.
STUDENT FOCUS: Students Dale Karas and Russell Pinnegar; 2017 Summer REX Program; Summer International Research Exchanges; Undergraduate Attends National Conference; 2017 Space Grant Consortium Student Awards; and Undergraduate Angela Garcia.
Advanced Transport Technologies for NASA Thermal Management/Control Systems. The goal of this research is to develop reliable, light-weight, low-power thermal management systems to precisely control the temperatures of critical NASA electronic systems. This research is developing a high-performance, two-phase mechanically pumped fluid loop (2φMPFL; Figure 1) to maintain the temperatures of several components within precise limits, even if their heat generations vary greatly.
Nevada’s EPSCoR project on the Solar Energy-Water-Environment Nexus has an Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program that provides students with an authentic research experience by engaging participants in research related to aspects of the project’s focus on other STEM-related topics. Working with faculty mentors, undergraduate students develop and submit project proposals.
Five-year National Science Foundation award to study solar energy and its effects on Nevada (2013-2018). We are leading research on solar energy generation and its impacts on water resources and the environment. The Nexus project brings together a diverse and disciplined group of scientists, engineers, educators, and students working together to push the frontiers of science and education.
The Solar Energy Nexus infrastructure is designed to build collaboration among Nevada’s premier researchers and solar energy stakeholders to generate solar energy with minimal water use and environmental impact. We are the workforce driving innovation in Nevada’s clean energy economy.