Masters Study in Advanced Energy and Fuels Management

Abstract

There are currently three key drivers for the US energy sector a) increasing energy demand and b) environmental stewardship in energy production for sustainability and c) general public and governmental desire for domestic resources. These drivers are also true for energy nation globally. As a result, this sector is rapidly diversifying to alternate sources that would supplement or replace fossil fuels. These changes have created a need for a highly trained workforce with a the understanding of both conventional and emerging energy resources and technology to lead and facilitate the reinvention of the US energy production, rational deployment of alternate energy technologies based on scientific and business criteria while invigorating the overall economy. In addition, the current trends focus on the the need of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) graduate education to move beyond academia and be more responsive to the workforce needs of businesses and the industry. The SIUC PSM in Advanced Energy and Fuels Management (AEFM) program was developed in response to the industries stated need for employees who combine technical competencies and workforce skills similar to all PSM degree programs. The SIUC AEFM program was designed to provide the STEM graduates with advanced technical training inmore » energy resources and technology while simultaneously equipping them with the business management skills required by professional employers in the energy sector. Technical training include core skills in energy resources, technology and management for both conventional and emerging energy technologies. Business skills training include financial, personnel and project management. A capstone internship is also built into the program to train students such that they are acclimatized to the real world scenarios in research laboratories, in energy companies and in government agencies. The current curriculum in the SIUC AEFM will help fill the need for training both recent graduates seeking specialized training prior to entering the energy industry workforce as well as working professionals in the energy industry who require additional training and qualifications for further career advancement. It is expected that the students graduating from the program will be stewards of effective, sustainable and environmentally sound use of these resources to ensure energy independence and meet the growing demands.The application of this Professional Science Masters’ (PSM) program is in the fast evolving Fuels Arena. The PSM AEFM is intended to be a terminal degree which will prepare the graduates for interdisciplinary careers in team-oriented environment. The curriculum for this program was developed in concert with industry to dovetail with current and future demands based on analysis and needs. The primary objective of the project was to exploit the in house resources such as existing curriculum and faculty strengths and develop a curriculum with consultations with industry to meet current and future demands. Additional objectives was to develop courses specific to the degree and to provide the students with a set of business skills in finance accounting and sustainable project management.« less