The E2 Energy to Educate grant is made possible by Constellation, a leading competitive energy company that provides power, natural gas, renewable energy, and energy management products and services.
Fairfield University’s School of Engineering and Computing has been awarded a $35,000 E2 Energy to Educate grant from Constellation, in support of student STEM, energy, and sustainability projects — a $10,000 increase from last year. The grant supports Fairfield’s SuSTEMability initiative, which will continue to engage Fairfield engineering students and faculty with educators and students from Cesar Batalla School and the Wakeman Boys and Girls Club in STEM education.
“Fairfield University is grateful to be once again the recipient of this generous award through Constellation’s E2 Energy to Educate grant,” said Andres Leonardo Carrano, PhD, dean of the School of Engineering and Computing.
The vision of SuSTEMability is to inspire and prepare tomorrow’s scientists and engineers to seek systematic solutions to key energy, environmental, and sustainability-related problems at both secondary education and undergraduate levels. The program allows middle-school students to acquire technical skills, hone their critical thinking skills, learn about basic statistical techniques and the fundamentals of data gathering, and develop an understanding of science and engineering concepts.
During the program, students have the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities involving solar energy, carbon footprint calculations, and alternative energy solutions, culminating in a design challenge where they learn about benchmarking. The program will conclude with a June poster presentation at Fairfield University.
At the School of Engineering and Computing, students are taught to be engineers with a higher purpose; they are not only trained in technical skills and knowledge, they are challenged to think about the impact they can make in the community.
Dean Carrano explained, “Our SuSTEMability program creates an inclusive pipeline of mentorship — engaging faculty, undergraduate students, and local youth — to inspire and prepare the next generation for further study and future careers in engineering and the sciences. All this while advancing education in the various aspects of sustainability among our youth in the city of Bridgeport.”
Learn more about the School of Engineering and Computing at fairfield.edu/engineering.
