The four-story, 114,000-square-foot building, sitting just behind the complex on Eastern Parkway, will include classrooms, a makerspace, high-tech lab facilities and room for events and student engagement. The $90 million project is supported by $65 million in state funding and $3 million in private donations, with a fundraising campaign on-going to secure the balance.

“UofL has long led the charge in driving innovation, economic growth and providing students with the education and experience they need to succeed in the real world,” said President Kim Schatzel. “With this new state-of-the-art building, we accelerate those efforts, creating bold new opportunities for our students, researchers and the Commonwealth.”Ěý

The additional space will support UofL efforts to fill Kentucky’s talent pipeline with STEM graduates who are prepared to harness disruptive technologies across a range of industries, including cybersecurity, electric vehicles, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing and many more. While the Kentucky’s production of these critical workers has grown, it still lags behind neighboring states and the national average.Ěý

“Extending Kentucky’s record-breaking economic momentum depends on our ability to innovate and strengthen our workforce,” Gov. Andy Beshear said. “This new investment and partnership with UofL shows our commitment to being a destination for talented people and businesses looking to succeed in the key industries of the future.”

The building will also house a number of cutting-edge research labs aimed at providing hands-on learning opportunities, developing new technologies and collaborating with industry. That includes , whose work drives discovery, advancements and new products in solar, biofuels and energy storage, efficiency and materials.

“Conn Center forges partnerships and inspires many students to address global energy challenges,” said center Director Mahendra Sunkara. “With this new space, we can accelerate the technology necessary to make Louisville a global leader in energy research, one that positively impacts the regional economy.”

Louisville is a hub for engineering and manufacturing, being with a total workforce of more than 82,500. With this new building, UofL can help maintain that positive momentum by spurring new breakthroughs and generating ready to solve problems and lead.

“Louisville is poised for enormous growth, and UofL research and graduates are a key part of our ongoing and future success,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. “I’m proud to support this investment in UofL, Louisville’s top-tier research university, that will create new opportunities for people and businesses throughout our city.”

Construction is already underway and is expected to be complete in summer 2025, just in time for the Speed School’s centennial celebration. Founded in 1925, the school has since grown enrollment to more than 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees across eight engineering disciplines.Ěý

“The Speed School has a well-earned century-long reputation as a place for ideas that will transform and reimagine our world,” said Dean Emmanuel Collins. “This new building will be a game changer for student success, our cutting-edge research and more. We’re both dreamers and doers, and this new facility is a place for both.”Ěý

The facility was designed by Luckett & Farley in collaboration with SmithGroup and Whittenberg Construction is the general contractor. UofL is launching a fundraising campaign to secure remaining capital needed to complete the project. Learn more and donate atĚý.

The consortium — known as REBECCA, short for Regional Energy Business, łÉČËÖ±˛Ą, 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.Ěý

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.Ěý

“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.Ěý “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.Ěý“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.”

The awards honor “those who have made an impact on health care in our community through their concern for patients, research, innovation, management skills and being on the frontlines fighting the Covid-19 pandemic,” according to the publication.Ěý

The UofL honorees are:

• Front-Line Hero: Andrew Odom, emergency room charge nurse with UofL Hospital.
• Health Entrepreneur: Mahendra Sunkara, director of UofL’s and professor of chemical engineering, who worked to develop, commercialize and produce reusable N95-style masks during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.Ěý
• Health Equity Champions: Suzanne Kingery, director of the UofL Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Program; and Keith Miller, a trauma surgeon with UofL Health.
• Health Innovator: Mark Slaughter and Siddharth Pahwa (dual award), cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons with UofL Health; and Ted Smith, director of the Center for Healthy Air, Water and Soil in the , who collaborated with other researchers at UofL, including those in theĚýĚýandĚýUofL Genomics and Bioinformatics Core facilities, to rollout innovative wastewater testing for pandemic tracking.
• Health Provider: Dawn Balcom, a nurse practitioner with the UofL School of Medicine and advanced practice specialist with the UofL International Travel Clinic.Ěý

This year’s Health Care Heroes will be profiled in the Feb. 25Ěýedition of Louisville Business First, and will be honored at an in-person event the day before at The Olmsted. You can register to attend .

IACs offer no-cost energy and water use efficiency and waste reduction recommendations to small- and medium-sized regional manufacturers and train the next generation of energy engineering professionals. The members of this largest-ever cohort of IACs will focus on improving productivity, decarbonization, enhancing cybersecurity, promoting resiliency planning and providing training to entities located in disadvantaged communities.

The funding allows for the creation of the UofL Industrial Assessment Center for Manufacturing Technical Assistance and Energy Engineering Workforce Development at UofL’s . A focus of the UofL IAC will be to train graduate and undergraduate students in providing energy and water use reduction assessments. The IAC training will leverage the newly created master’s degree in materials and energy science and engineering at the Speed School to provide these students with advanced training in state-of-the-art energy systems and applications. The center also will address industry engagement and energy efficiency research within the , according to Mark McGinley, civil and environmental engineering professor at UofL and principal investigator on the project.

“We want to educate students in this process, to teach them to conduct these assessments using best practices and offer more students with these skillsets to support industry over a long period of time,” McGinley said. “We have structured the IAC center to identify recurring industry needs and facilitate development of technologies to address these needs.”

The UofL project team also includes Mahendra Sunkara, co-principal investigator and director of the Conn Center, who will coordinate research and development of educational programming; Ed Tackett, director of engineering solutions and industry relations, who will manage community college interactions and industrial relations; Lissa McCracken, executive director of the , who will manage assessment staff and industrial outreach; and Emmanuel Collins, dean of the Speed School, who will manage recruitment of industrial entities and students from underrepresented groups and communities.

“I’m thrilled that the Department of Energy has chosen to invest in the University of Louisville and its students, selecting it as one of the newest sites for an Industrial Assessment Center,” saidĚýU.S. Rep. John Yarmuth.Ěý“The IAC program provides an immense value to students and businesses alike, harnessing the talent of our brightest minds to tackle the energy, environmental and economic challenges of tomorrow. I’m so proud to support this effort and to know that Louisville will play such an important role in continuing to build the clean energy economy of the future.”ĚýĚý

Since its inception, the IAC program has provided nearly 20,000 no-cost assessments for small and medium sized manufacturers and more than 147,000 recommendations for improvement measures. IACs typically identify more than $130,000 in potential annual savings for each manufacturer, nearly $50,000 of which is implemented during the first year following the assessment.

The team also includes members from the American University of Sharjah, Higher Colleges of Technology and American University in Dubai, all located in the United Arab Emirates.

Team “Desert Phoenix” will compete with 14 other teams from around the world to design, build and operate sustainable models of solar-powered homes, with a focus on protecting the environment, taking into consideration the climate and culture of the region.Ěý

These homes will be assembled at the SDME competition site in Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai. The multidisciplinary teams compete in 10 different categories, ranging from best architecture and engineering to energy production for heating and cooling, while gaining invaluable real-world experience in a growing global industry.

Organized by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, crown prince of Dubai and chairman of Dubai Executive Council, SDME is the largest solar decathlon competition for international universities. Its goal is to involve youth in sustainable development processes and encourage them to use their creativity to develop solutions that support global efforts to reduce the negative impacts of climate change.

“Conn Center’s intention is to forge partnerships with many other institutions and inspire students to address the global energy challenge,” said Mahendra Sunkara, director of the of the at UofL.

The team hopes to develop and introduce low-cost housing solutions with very low energy bills for low-income urban and rural living. Their design seeks to provide cost-effective, zero-net energy residential space with a low environmental and actual footprint to improve the affordability of these spaces, especially in the current world economy.

Each of the four universities will focus on a specific area in the project. Team members at UofL are focusing on the building structure, building envelope and energy conservation. AUS is focused on smart solutions and water management, AUD on architectural design of the house and HCT on civil engineering, especially water conservation.

“This multinational effort allows us to explore varied technologies and design philosophies to address common problems, with significant potential for improvement in performance and acceptance in all our countries,” said W. M. McGinley, professor of civil engineering at , who will lead the UofL team group, along with Sunkara.

“World-class competitions such as this are of immense benefit to students as they enable them to implement theories learned in classes in a highly practical and experiential environment, by way of innovative and cutting-edge designs and concepts, which will help to solve global housing issues,” said Tariq Khan, assistant professor in mechanical engineering and team leader at HCT. “Our eco-friendly house will be the best blend of architecture, reflecting local heritage and innovative engineering excellence with a focus on sustainability.”

The project also provides an opportunity to engage the community in support of the project.

“Each of the universities will reach out to the various institutions in the community according to their area of expertise to support the project, whether through technical expertise, funding or equipment. We aim to strengthen our community engagement and give back to society. The project will not only positively impact the community but will also increase the country’s energy security and make it less dependent on fossil fuel,” said Mostafa Shaaban, associate professor in electrical engineering and AUS project team leader.

The for Solar Decathlon Middle East along with more information about the competition is available on the .

The production facility, operated by AdhviQ Technologies LLC, opened in late November on the UofL Belknap campus. It now churns out about 50 of the N95-style masks, plus about 100 three-ply non-surgical masks per minute, as well as filters for cloth masks and has made them commercially available. The company plans to ramp up production amid rising coronavirus case numbers.

Mahendra SunkaraĚýsaid he and other UofL researchers invented the masks to address , or PPE.Ěý While commonly worn disposable masks are meant , the UofL N95-style masks are unique in that their nanowire-woven fabric can be washed and reused multiple times — all while still filtering down to 0.1 microns.

“Being able to reuse masks and filters effectively can help people protect themselves in everyday settings like grocery stores,” said Sunkara, a UofL chemical engineering professor. “But they could especially help health care workers, who may not have access to as many disposable masks as they need to do their jobs safely. With these masks, they could wash and wear the same one over and over again without losing effectiveness.”

The technology was created by researchers at UofL’s , where Sunkara is director, and the UofL . Early in the pandemic, they pivoted from their previous studies in areas such as solar power and robotics to develop tools that could help people stay safe.

The researchers ĚýAdvanced Energy Materials (ADEM), a UofL-offshoot company founded by Sunkara that produces nanowire for catalysts, to develop and patent the technology. A new company,ĚýAdhviQ, licensed that technology and now manufactures and sells the finished products made using materials from ADEM.

Both ADEM and AdhviQ were created at UofL, are based on UofL research and also are physically located on UofL’s Belknap campus.

“This is an excellent example of what can be accomplished when UofL research meets industry capability,” said Kevin Gardner, UofL’s executive vice president for research and innovation. “In this time of crisis, UofL researchers have risen to the challenge of keeping people safe in every aspect. This is yet another example of them doing the hard work to combat this virus and truly advance our health.”

The masks are made using inorganic nanowires woven into special polymer cloth, forming a porous network whose openings are too small for viral particles to pass through. Because the nanowire is made of titania and zinc oxide, the masks also can easily be disinfected using low-energy ultraviolet light as an alternative to disinfecting with soap and water.

The nanowire masks differ from current N95 masks, which rely on an electrostatic charge on polymer fiber cloth to capture and filter out particles like dust, mold and pollen. The electrostatic masks may not work to filter out liquid droplets or viral pathogens, while the UofL masks can.

“In working together, we have been able to create a truly great product, built on UofL research, that’s reusable, cost-effective and filters better than commonly available disposable masks,” said Siva Kakarala, founder and CEO of AdhviQ. “Our overall goal is to give people the tools that can help them stay safe and healthy.”

The masks are available for order on the , and the company expects to receive FDA certification soon.

The supports promising early-career faculty who are potential role models in research and education. The award is $500,000 spread over five years, andĚýSpurgeon is one of only a handful of non-faculty recipients.

“I’m thrilled,” said Spurgeon, theme leader for solar fuels at . “These grants are so competitive, and this is huge for me.”Ěý

Spurgeon’s work at UofL centers on hydrogen fuels, which he can make with just water and sunlight. With this award, he hopes to lower the cost of that method to make solar hydrogen more competitive with hydrogen derived from fossil fuels.

“We’re targeting the intersection between high-efficiency and low-cost,” he said. “The goal is to make clean, green, renewable fuel accessible.”Ěý

The basic idea is to separate water, or H₂O, into hydrogen and oxygen using photocatalysts, which cause chemical reactions when exposed to sunlight. Spurgeon places the photocatalyst in the water, shines sunlight on it, and boom — potent, energy-dense hydrogen fuel.Ěý

The problem, he said, is that this method is currently more expensive than fossil fuels because it relies on a combination of expensive commercial photovoltaic and electrolysis equipment. Spurgeon’s CAREER Award research will seek to lower the cost by integrating all of those components into a single semiconductor particle, making the whole process more cost-effective.Ěý

“This would enable low-cost solar energy storage and sustainable fuel production,” said Mahendra Sunkara, director of the UofL Conn Center. “Such a technology could revolutionize the energy industry and greatly expand the energy independence of the United States.”

You can check out some of Spurgeon’s technologies andĚý

In addition to the research component, Spurgeon also will use his award to help build and develop a new master’s degree at the J.B. Speed School of Engineering focused on renewable energy and materials. He also plans to help underrepresented undergraduate students secure research internships and help final-year graduate students with their entrepreneurial and commercialization efforts.Ěý

“Dr. Spurgeon is pursuing truly ground-breaking work that can broadly impact fields as diverse as transportation and utilities,” said Robert S. Keynton, Interim Executive Vice President for Research and Innovation. “We’re very proud of his accomplishment and his contributions to research and innovation at UofL.”Ěý

Including Spurgeon’s, UofL researchers have received 21 total NSF CAREER Awards totaling some $7.1 million.

Industrial hemp and marijuana are two different strains of the Cannabis sativa plant. Industrial hemp seeds and leaves contain very low levels of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive agent in Cannabis.

Industrial hemp is a highly renewable resource with applications for food, medicine, chemicals and energy. Stalks, seeds, flowers and oils all have potential uses with established markets.

“Hemp research for renewable energy technologies is highly useful for local and regional industry, even those not related to renewables,” said Mahendra Sunkara, director of Conn Center. “The theme of our biomass work is that we do not let anything go to waste.”

Conn Center scientists and engineers have harvested about 2,000 pounds of hemp and kenaf since the project began in anticipation of industrial hemp’s legalization in Kentucky. The UofL crop is one of eight at Kentucky colleges and universities grown as part of the state’s pilot program into field-scale industrial hemp, but the only one being used for energy research.

“Our students and faculty really enjoy working on this initiative,” said biology professor Mark Running, a faculty member of Conn Center contributing plant development expertise. “The opportunity to work on a timely challenge to improve our economy and society is exciting.”

“The growing plants have been embraced by students at UofL, who frequent the hemp patches next to the Eastern Parkway viaduct for selfies,” said Andrew Marsh, assistant director of the Conn Center. “We appreciate how passionately people support legalization and exploration of hemp as a renewable resource while also bumping up their Insta game.”

The Conn Center fosters the development of transformational concepts and accelerates transition from lab to pre-commercial scale. The center maintains unique, state-of-the-art facilities for advancing scalable manufacturing R&D of solar, energy storage, biofuels, value-added chemicals and energy efficiency solutions.ĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚý