The consortium — known as REBECCA, short for Regional Energy Business, ����ֱ��, and Commercialization Convergence Accelerator — has been selected for a $500,000 Phase 1 planning grant under the U.S. Tech Hubs Program. The program, authorized by the federal CHIPS and Science Act, aims to transform high-potential regions across the country into globally competitive innovation centers.

“UofL is a top-tier, community-engaged research institution, and we’ve developed a solid track record of partnering with industry to solve important problems,” said Kim Schatzel, president of UofL. “With REBECCA, we are excited to build on UofL’s already impactful energy research and work with our industry partners to develop Kentucky’s energy strength.”

At UofL, work on REBECCA will be led by researchers Mahendra Sunkara and Sundar Atre in the . Consortium partners include the , , and , a Haier company.��

Together, they will use the Phase 1 Tech Hubs funding to study the region’s energy economy and develop a plan for its continued growth, including needed technology, infrastructure and workforce. As a successful Phase 1 applicant, REBECCA also is eligible to compete for up to $75 million in Phase 2 funding to implement their plan.��

“The UofL REBECCA consortium aligns with Louisville’s economic development and net-zero energy goals,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. “We are very eager to see this project bring new green jobs and advance our state’s investment and leadership in renewable energy technology.”

Energy is a , with more than a third of all energy produced going toward agriculture, the production of food and beverage, manufacturing and other industry. As both the public and private sectors invest in new energy technologies — such as renewables — there’s a need for more innovation, infrastructure and .

“We’re excited to be a part of this project and what the future holds for this region and job growth in the renewable energy space,” said Kevin Nolan, president and CEO of GE Appliances, a Haier company.�� “This aligns with our focus on net zero energy homes, and how we can innovate products that use less energy and work with renewable energy sources and energy storage solutions.”

Beyond developing a strategy for the energy Tech Hub in Kentucky, the consortium will conduct workforce development programs and partner with UofL researchers on pilot projects related to energy production, use and efficiency. GE Appliances will work on a solar power microgrid, TARC will work to introduce extended-range battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses into the fleet, and Clariant will work on hydrogen storage and delivery.

“We at Clariant are thrilled that UofL will be leading a new Tech Hub focused on the energy transition in Kentucky through the new consortium REBECCA,” said Victor Johnston, head of Clariant’s Louisville R&D Center.��“With our longstanding ties to Louisville, we have had the privilege of partnering with the university for many years on critical research in catalyst development, materials science and cultivating STEM talent. This recognition is well-deserved. We eagerly anticipate continuing our collaboration with REBECCA, which will drive innovations that shape the future of energy.”

UofL has significant expertise in working with industry to innovate in renewable energy and energy efficiency, including through the Speed School’s Conn Center — established more than a decade ago in honor of major donors Hank and Rebecca Conn, for whom REBECCA is named. Emmanuel Collins, dean of the Speed School, said partnership with industry is critical to understanding gaps and growing the state’s capacity to manufacture, commercialize and deploy these technologies.

“UofL and the Speed School have a long track-record of success and leadership in energy research and academics,” Collins said. “I’m looking forward to working with our partners to build on that success, strengthening the regional innovation ecosystem and advancing the state’s bright energy future.”

Andrew Wilson, of the UofL chemistry department, was one of just 41 U.S. researchers selected to receive a 2022 . The award, presented by Oak Ridge Associated Universities, recognizes outstanding full-time assistant professors within two years of tenure track appointment.��

“It’s a really amazing feeling to have your peers recognize the work you’re doing as a way forward in solving these big world problems, specifically in energy science,” Wilson said.

Wilson’s work focuses on better understanding what happens to molecules in energy-related reactions. Specifically, he’s looking at reactions that combine electricity with readily available molecules, such as water and carbon dioxide, to create cleaner more sustainable fuels that could be substituted for petroleum.��

By more quickly and precisely��measuring these reactions and how they change molecules, Wilson hopes to engineer them to produce more targeted outputs. In this case, better sources of energy — ones that perform better and pollute less.��

“If we can understand these reactions, we can get more specific outputs — we can produce cleaner, more efficient or safer energy,” Wilson said. “The only way to do that is to design the process and the only way to design the process is to understand.”��

Kevin Gardner, UofL’s executive vice president for research and innovation, said this prestigious Powe Award highlights the importance of Wilson’s research and its potential impact.

“We are very proud of Andrew and the work he’s doing to improve how we power our world,” Gardner said. “His research at UofL is��driving the development of materials and processes for a new energy economy.”

The board of trustees approved a new Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability degree at its meeting Sept. 22. Classes will begin next fall.

The degree will be the first undergraduate degree housed in the Department of Urban and Public Affairs (UPA), which coordinates several master’s degrees including the new Master of Interdisciplinary Studies: Concentration in Sustainability that began enrolling students this fall.

“We have been working for several years to make this bachelor’s degree a reality,” said David Simpson, PhD, chair of UPA and of the university’s 60-member Sustainability Council. “I know that graduates of this degree will make a difference in their own communities and the world.”

UofL is leading the way in programs and education in sustainability, he said, adding that creating the degree “positions graduates to be thought leaders and solution seekers in the many facets of sustainability, from the environment to health, conservation and community quality of life, among many others.”

Simpson noted that UofL is the only university in the state to receive the top sustainability ranking from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher ����ֱ��, earning a gold STARS ranking earlier this year. In addition, The Sierra Club ranked UofL in the Top 50 of its 2016 “” (No. 43).

The new bachelor’s degree program will train students to research, identify, implement and monitor sustainable processes and systems. It is designed to prepare students for future careers in sustainability-related endeavors, including the environment, energy, climate change, public policy, transportation, and urban and regional planning. It will also serve as a well-rounded base to allow students to pursue graduate training in affiliated fields of study. The degree is designed as an interdisciplinary program and will require a minimum of 124 hours to complete.

The degree program proposal was based on models from other university programs, several years of discussion at the university among interested departments, and through the Sustainability Council. The Faculty Senate recommended the creation of the Bachelor of Arts degree in Sustainability during its May meeting, and the Council on Postsecondary ����ֱ�� 45-day review of the preproposal was completed on July 22.