Wind Energy Center to Hold Annual Student Poster Session

The Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Offshore Wind Energy Program invites the campus community to attend its annual student poster session on Thursday, April 26 from 5-7 p.m. in the Hadley Room, 10th Floor, Campus Center.

The 21 posters this year represent an interdisciplinary look at the engineering, environmental and policy aspects of offshore wind energy, says Jody Lally of the Wind Energy Center. Student research includes a biomimetic ultrasonic whistle for use as a bat deterrent on wind turbines, for example. Other poster topics explore what people think about offshore wind energy and discuss factors such as floating offshore wind farms, overcoming environmental permitting obstacles to offshore wind energy and offshore energy storage.

There will be light refreshments, a cash bar and the opportunity to speak informally with students.

The IGERT program was started in 1997 by the National Science Foundation and supported interdisciplinary graduate education spanning science, technology, engineering, mathematics and social sciences at more than 125 sites. Among other goals, the program seeks to establish creative new models for graduate education and training in a fertile environment for collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries. It also hopes to foster greater diversity in student participation and preparation.

At UMass Amherst, the Offshore Wind IGERT program started in 2011 and has supported 33 Ph.D. students pursuing degrees in six departments and three colleges across campus. For information, contact Lally at 413/577-0887, lally@ecs.umass.edu