The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science’s Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) initiative will fund $32 million in 41 awards to 37 institutions to support historically underrepresented groups in STEM, known as science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The funds also are meant to invest in the diversification of American leadership in the physical sciences, a Dec. 14 news release said.
“The next generation of American scientists and engineers will be charged with solving some of the world’s most vexing problems, and that group will only be stronger for this initiative’s efforts to help ensure there are pathways to the STEM fields for previously underrepresented groups,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in the release.
Out of the 37 awards, 24 are Minority Serving Institutions, 13 are Hispanic-Serving Institutions, five are Historically Black Colleges and Universities plus two are Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions, the release said. The list also includes one Tribal college and university and three are both Hispanic and Asian American and Pacific Islander serving institutions.
Project examples include training a diverse STEM workforce to measure and model energy, water and carbon budgets; investing in regional networks to prepare students to enter the quantum computing and networking workforce; building students’ capabilities in fusion energy and plasma science and technology research; and providing hands-on training and education in isotope production and related science and technology at world class nuclear facilities, as mentorship plays a key role in setting up students for success in STEM careers, according to the release.
