REU Site: Summer Engineering Research Experiences in Power and Energy Systems for Smart Cities

This NSF project aims to engage undergraduate students in transformative research experiences focused on Smart Cities, with an emphasis on smart power and energy systems. The program addresses national priorities in energy security, infrastructure resilience, and workforce development by preparing students to tackle the complex challenges that arise at the intersection of energy, economy, and technology in urban settings. This will be achieved through hands-on research, interdisciplinary mentorship, and exposure to real-world applications via site visits to utilities, industries, and national laboratories. The intellectual merits of the project include advancing student research in artificial intelligence for energy systems, data analytics and quantum computing, energy storage, and electric grid resiliency, while fostering cross-disciplinary thinking in urban infrastructure. The broader impacts of the project include contributing to the progress of science and the national welfare by developing a new generation of researchers trained in areas essential to future energy systems. It expands access to high-quality STEM research experiences for undergraduate students across the United States. By fostering broad participation, the program contributes to building a skilled and urgently needed energy workforce that reflects the full talent of the American population. The technical goals of the project focus on equipping students to address current and emerging challenges in electric power systems critical to the development of Smart Cities. Participants will engage in several integrated research areas: multi-energy systems integration, data-driven decision-making using artificial intelligence, quantum computing for energy optimization, transportation electrification, electric grid resiliency and cybersecurity, energy economics, and modern microgrid design. These topics are strategically selected to confront urgent issues related to the reliability, resilience, and security of energy generation, transmission, and distribution. The program will employ a combination of simulation, optimization, and data analytics methods to explore solutions. Through this project, students will gain foundational research experience, contribute to innovative energy solutions, and be encouraged to pursue graduate studies and careers in STEM fields that support U.S. energy independence and national prosperity. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.