Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 64.02
Liaison Dayna Cook
Submission Date Aug. 2, 2011
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.0

Northern Arizona University
IN-3: Innovation 3

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Bryan McLaren
NAU Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Sustainability
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A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:

Overview

NAU is launching a Sustainable Energy Solutions Institute, to serve as a hub for cross-disciplinary faculty research and teaching, and to facilitate relationships with external partners in the sustainable energy fields. The SES Institute project arose from the decade-long work of the Sustainable Energy Solutions group at NAU. In early 2011, NAU administration asked SES director Tom Acker to develop a detailed proposal for establishing an SES Institute on campus, and the current project to develop this Institute began in March 2011.
The project team held a kick-off meeting in April and defined tasks for the first 3 months. Karin Wadsack led an internal (NAU staff and faculty) interviewing process, to solicit feedback from, and encourage potential future participation of, individuals on campus with interests in the broad sustainable energy fields. Amanda Ormond led a survey effort of external stakeholders, gathering information from select experts on what a useful, productive Institute at NAU would look like, and what elements would be required to make it successful. Kevin Ordean, a student worker, performed a research survey of three dozen similar institutes around the world, gathering information relevant to the formation of an Institute at NAU.
The team held a retreat with 13 NAU and external parties on June 23, 2011 in Flagstaff. The meeting began with a session providing attendees with the background on the Institute and an explanation of the strengths available at NAU to support the Institute. The main focus of the retreat was a discussion of the following points with the external advisors:
• What does the future look like? What are short term (5-10) and long term trends and needs?
• What makes an effective organization? How do we find and attract a quality director? What qualities do we want in a director?
• How do organizations (National labs, business, foundations, etc.) prefer to work with universities? How can the university effectively work with outside organizations? What pitfalls should we watch out for? Why do people choose not to work with a university? What are the keys to creating successful partnerships with businesses?
The meeting concluded with an invitation to external parties to continue to be engaged in the Institute development process and projects of the Institute as it moves forward.
On July 1, 2011, core SES Institute team members Tom Acker, Karan English, Bill Auberle, Amanda Ormond, Karin Wadsack and Kevin Ordean met to debrief about the retreat.
Throughout July, Karin Wadsack, Tom Acker, and Amanda Ormond have been working on the proposal draft. The core team met again Monday July 25 to determine our task timeline for getting the proposal completed and submitted for the next steps in approval by NAU administration and the Arizona Board of Regents.

Core Focus Areas

The SES Institute at NAU will encompass renewable energy, energy efficiency, and energy utilization (e.g. smart grid, innovative energy systems, etc.) research and education initiatives at the university, in partnership with research centers statewide and nationally, and via a range of external partners, within the conceptual framework of the “triple bottom line”: sustainability economically, environmentally, and socially. Focus areas will include:
• Research, Development, and Demonstration: Faculty-led projects in partnership with industry, national laboratories, private foundations, Native American tribes, and other external partners. Projects may be based in engineering, business, policy, and natural sciences, in collaboration with other Centers/programs on campus, etc.
• Technology Transfer: Partnerships that promote development of intellectual property and business start-ups or expansions will be encouraged.
• Business Planning, Conceptualization, Analysis and Realization: Development of sustainable business models and rigorous economic evaluation of energy solutions. This will include business planning assistance, business viability testing, and economic analysis of markets, business potential and success.
• Educational and Technical Programs: Enhancement of sustainable energy programs and courses, the development of new programs/courses where appropriate, and the production of undergraduate and graduate students capable of moving society to a sustainable energy future. Included will be interactions with K-12 schools, community colleges, and Native American schools and Tribal colleges; development and support of NAU student internships with energy, government, institutional and industry partners; and collaborations with similar centers and institutes at the state’s other universities. This will include needs assessments and the development and implementation of re-education and workforce development programs in collaboration with these partners.
• Outreach: Further development of the University’s sustainable energy partnerships and outreach programs, education of policymakers and the broad public, and distribution, publication and presentation of research results.
Anticipated External Partners
Partners for the SES Institute will include: industry sectors such as renewable energy project developers, resource assessment companies, and manufacturers; electric utility companies; multiple government agencies including tribal governments; national laboratories; other educational institutions; foundations; and not-for-profit and non-governmental organizations.


A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise:
The website URL where information about the innovation is available:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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