Program Overview

Education & Workforce Development Program

The Education & Workforce Development program at the Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP) fosters collaborative ecosystems to grow the next generation of energy workforce. By equipping Alaskans with the skills, knowledge, and networks to lead their community's energy solutions, ACEP is investing in a dynamic energy workforce for the future.

Program Summary

Alaska's unique landscape and wide-ranging communities present complex energy challenges that require innovation, collaboration, and creativity. The Education & Workforce Development program partners across ACEP research groups and external organizations to reach the following goals:

• Connect Alaska's Energy Workforce
• Elevate Community Energy Leaders
• Develop Applied Energy Education

Community

The program offers various community-based initiatives, including:

• ACEP Courses
• EdX Courses
• MicroFEWS
• Intro to Microgrids
• Short Courses: 4-6 day immersive learning opportunities on specific energy topics, open to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as industry and community members.
• Townhall: Events hosted throughout Alaska to educate on new energy technologies, discuss energy issues, and facilitate opinion sharing.

Professionals

The program provides opportunities for professionals, including:

• Energy Champions Network
• Energy Leadership Accelerator (ELA): A cross-regional energy practitioner network for energy leaders in remote and islanded communities.
• Arctic Remote Energy Networks Academy (ARENA): An international knowledge-sharing program connecting energy champions from remote northern communities.

Technical Training

The program offers technical training, including:

• People in Power Program (PIPP): Collaborates with Alaskan independent electric utilities to develop sustainable and responsive training frameworks.
• Workshops: Community workshops, trainings, or intensives, often developed in collaboration with local organizations and research partners.

Graduate

The program offers graduate-level opportunities, including:

• Fellowships: Year-long fellowships, including partnerships with the Alaska Fellows Program, Alaska Sea Grant State Fellowship Program, and Shultz Energy Fellowship.
• Interdisciplinary PhD: A three-year program equipping participants with skills for interdisciplinary research at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
• Thesis Research Projects: Support for graduate students working towards their MS and PhD degrees.

Undergraduate

The program offers undergraduate-level opportunities, including:

• Summer Internship Program: A 10-week summer program engaging undergraduate students in energy research.
• REU: An exploratory research opportunity for students ready to embark on their first undergraduate summer research experience.
• AUSI: Interns work on research projects with an ACEP mentor, with opportunities for self-directed work and low-to-medium support.
• CyberPod: Opportunities for UAF second and third-year students, as well as recent graduates, to work on research projects connecting early interest experiences to careers in technology infrastructure.

High School

The program offers high school-level initiatives, including:

• Learning Library: A collaborative resource for educators to discover lesson plans, activities, and curricula.
• T3 (Teaching Through Technology): Partnerships with T3 Alaska and Upward Bound to develop collaborations between high school students, energy educators, community partners, and researchers.

Alumni Highlights

The program provides buildable experiences supporting students who discover a passion for a career in energy. Notable alumni include:

• Adrian Burke: Began as a T3 high school student, completed an undergraduate summer internship program, and is now part of the Cyberpod team.
• Lydia Andriesen: Began as an ACEP student worker, completed an undergraduate summer internship program, and continues work with her mentor while completing her master's degree.
• Henry Toal: Began as an undergraduate student intern, completed his master's thesis in partnership with ACEP, and is now a research engineer at ACEP.

Funding

The Education & Workforce Development Program activities are made possible through the generous support of funding partners, including:

• Office of Naval Research
• National Science Foundation
• US Department of State
• US Department of Energy
• US Department of Defense
• Denali Commission
• State of Alaska