Mike Nastasi, Director of the Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research (NCESR) is offering a “Questions and Answers” session about the newly released Cycle 8 – Request for Proposal (RFP).

The session is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday – April 18, 2013 in 344A Whittier Research Center (3rd floor conference room).  The session will conclude by 2:30 p.m.  Registration is not required.

The session will begin with a brief presentation about the expectations of the Cycle 8 call for pre-proposals for energy science research seed-grant funding.  The informal session will then be opened for questions and answers.

The Cycle 8 RFP can be viewed at NCESR Cycle 8 – RFP.

The Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research released its Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking innovative energy sciences research and collaboration ideas from UNL faculty.  This is the eighth annual cycle in which UNL faculty can compete in this internal competition for energy research grants.  These grants help UNL faculty to develop energy-related research capacity and improve their competitiveness for external funding. The deadline for preproposals is May 22, 2013.   Full proposals will be by invitation only.  Funding for this opportunity is made possible through an investment in energy sciences research at UNL by the Nebraska Public Power District. NCESR Cycle 8 – RFP

Four new research projects were selected for funding by the Energy Center in its eighth annual grant competition.  Continue reading →

The Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research (NCESR) is pleased to release the Request for Proposals (RFP)  for the Water, Energy and Agriculture Initiative (WEAI) – Phase 2.  The overall goal is to maximize the efficiency with which water and energy resources are used to sustain economic development and water conservation in Nebraska agriculture.  The deadline is November 21, 2012 — 6:00 p.m., CST.  WEAI – Phase 2 RFP 2012

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Arcos Films would like to invite you to a FREE screening of SWITCH, a new award-winning documentary that moves past the politics to deliver the straight answers on energy.

Friday 10/5 3:30pm

Bessey Hall Auditorium

Watch the trailer at www.switchenergyproject.com and see the attached flyer for more information. *Please share this invitation. Switch Invitation Continue reading →

August 1, 2012

The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the following webcasts:

·        August 8: Live Webcast on Accelerating Innovation: Biomass

The Energy Department, in partnership with the Battelle Commercialization Council of Labs, will present a live webcast titled Accelerating Innovation: Biomass on Wednesday, August 8, 2012, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. This webcast will highlight several biomass-focused national laboratory technologies, all of which are found on EERE’s Energy Innovation Portal. During this webcast, attendees will learn about cutting-edge advances in biomass technology such as using cyanobacteria in photosynthesis conversions of CO₂ to fuels and chemicals. Speakers, including Jianping Yu of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, will participate in a question-and-answer session at the end of the presentation.

Register now to attend the webcast. ( https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/608290814 ) Continue reading →

The Office of Science of the Department of Energy announces the fiscal year 2013 Early Career Research Program. The funding opportunity for researchers in universities and DOE national laboratories was announced July 20, 2012. The Early Career Research Program, now in its fourth year, supports the development of individual research programs of outstanding scientists early in their careers and stimulates research careers in the disciplines supported by the DOE Office of Science. Opportunities exist in the following program areas: Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR); Biological and Environmental Research (BER); Basic Energy Sciences (BES), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES); High Energy Physics (HEP), and Nuclear Physics (NP). Mandatory pre-applications are due at 5 pm eastern time on September 6, 2012. Only those applicants that receive notification from DOE encouraging a formal application may submit full applications. Full applications from those encouraged to submit them are due by 5 pm eastern time November 26, 2012.

For more information:  http://science.energy.gov/early-career/

In a July 17 announcement, the U.S. Department of Energy committed to invest $10.9 million across 13 projects to improve nuclear industry and reactor safety, performance and cost competitiveness. From that, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will receive $979,978 to lead a Nuclear Energy Technologies (NEET) Reactor Materials project.

The UNL-led project aims to develop advanced metal and ceramic composites, partnering with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Texas A&M University. They will research advanced reactor materials for piping, wiring cladding and other related structures in nuclear reactors and along the nuclear fuel cycle.

Michael Nastasi, director of the Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences  Research at UNL and Elmer Koch Professor of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, is the principal invest8igator for the project, Radiation Tolerance and Mechanical Properties of Nanostructured Ceramic/Metal. The work will explore the development of advanced metal/ceramic composites for improvements that could lead to more efficient production of electricity in advanced reactors. he U.S. Department of Energy has given Nastasi and his team a $980,000 grant to explore the development of advanced metal and ceramic composites. Those improvements could lead to more efficient production of electricity in advanced nuclear reactors. Continue reading →