June 3, 2009

Purdue Energy Center part of new higher education council

The council is the first multidisciplinary membership organization composed of heads of academic energy research and education centers. Its goal is to advance the role of higher education in the energy field to improve education, decision-making and the well-being of society.

Jay Gore, Energy Center director, is one of nine executive committee at-large members.

"One of the grand challenges facing our world revolves around energy issues," Gore said. "Universities from around the country with strong multidisciplinary energy research programs are organizing efforts to bring their combined strengths to bear on some of those problems. Energy, environment and climate change are three of the grand challenge problems that CEREL hopes to address."

 The council's mission is to:

* Increase the contributions of university energy research and education to the challenges facing society

* Promote efforts to advance knowledge and learning in interdisciplinary energy fields

* Elevate the importance and awareness of the role of energy in human affairs across every segment of society

* Foster cooperative efforts among members and other scientists and engineers; federal, state and local agencies; industry; and non-governmental organizations.

The National Council for Science and the Environment is secretariat for the council. The Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities is a partner.

More information is available at https://ncseonline.org/CEREL/

Writer: Judith Barra Austin, 765-494-2432, jbaustin@purdue.edu

Sources: Jay Gore, 765 494-1610, gore@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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