About E3C
The Consortium for Education and Research in Electronics for Extreme Environments (E3C) is funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) under the Minority Serving Institution Partnership Program (MSIPP) to create a sustainable pipeline of electrical engineers from underrepresented populations to enter the Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) workforce and to contribute to the scientific and technical knowledge base in electronics for extreme environments.
Electronics for extreme environments include materials, electronic devices, sensors, circuits, electronic packaging and systems that can sustain environmental challenges such as extreme temperatures, mechanical stresses and radiation fields. Applications include the use of electronics in high-power energy conversion, space and weapon systems, all critical to DOE/NNSA.
E3C is led by The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in collaboration with The University of New Mexico (UNM), North Carolina A&T (NCA&T), Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC), Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), and Los Alamos National Laboratories (LANL).
E3C aims to offer the next generation of underrepresented minority (URM) electrical engineers a strong background in electronics for extreme environments. In doing so, it will address the critical workforce demands of the US job market to increase the pool of highly qualified and motivated electrical engineering graduates with expertise in electronics for extreme environments.
The award is part of DOE/NNSA’s Minority Serving Institution Partnership Program (MSIPP), an initiative designed to build a sustainable pipeline between DOE sites and labs and minority-serving institutions in STEM disciplines.
Goals and Objectives
The goals and objectives listed below inform the proposed Consortium program.
Goal 1 - Education, Training and Student Development (G1):
Recruit, educate, mentor and train electrical engineering (EE) students to increase the number of underrepresented minority (URM) students pursuing careers at the Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE)
- Objective 1.1 (O1.1): Implement a collaborative recruitment and outreach strategy across E3C to create a pool of talented URM EE students for selection into the E3C program and to attract pre-college students to EE.
- Objective 1.2 (O1.2): Develop and implement educational and training, materials and courses that build technical competence, and self-efficacy in areas associated with E3 student training (course curriculum, seminar programs, workshops)
- Objective 1.3 (O1.3): Create and implement a consortium-wide professional and career mentoring and development program for E3C students
- Objective 1.4 (O1.4): Create experiential learning opportunities by providing internship and externship opportunities for E3C students in the NSE
Goal 2 - Synergistic and Integrated Collaborative Research (G2):
Create a synergistic and integrated collaborative program to provide opportunities for students to engage in Nuclear Security Enterprise relevant research in Electronics for Extreme Environments (E3).
- Objective 2.1 (O2.1): Implement E3 research focus areas in fabrication, simulation, and testing of electronic devices involving faculty, students, and industrial partners.
- Objective 2.2 (O2.2): Develop structured opportunities for vertical collaborative research where academic and industrial partners mentor and direct undergraduate and graduate students.
- Objective 2.3 (O2.3): Create and implement collaborative research skills training programs for students and faculty.
Goal 3 - Sustainability and Capacity Building (G3):
Develop capacity-building programs and initiatives aimed at sustaining and growing E3C beyond the initial MSIPP support.
- Objective 3.1 (O3.2): Establish a development and mentoring program for junior faculty members to support collaborative engagement with the NSE
- Objective 3.2 (O3.1): Establish preferred academic partner status for UTEP, NCAT and UNM with KCNSC, SNL, and LANL.
- Objective 3.3 (O3.3): Develop long-term collaborative instruments to facilitate joint research, education and workforce development programs and opportunities in E3
- Objective. 3.4 (O3.4): Create a bridge mentoring program to sustain the pipeline for EE students and facilitate continuity in the number of students engaging in internships, and employment at the NSE.
The three minority-serving institutions and DOE/NNSA partners are working towards the goals in Education, Training and Student Development (G1) and Synergistic and Integrated Collaborative Research (G2). These latter will set the foundation for Sustainability and Capacity Building (G3) which aims to create sustained cooperation and recruitment to the industrial partners well beyond the period of initial MSIPP support.
E3C is funded by the Department of Energy (National Nuclear Security Administration) under Award Number(s) DE-NA0004079. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.
