Sustainability Initiative

Statement about commitment to sustainability

by Prof. Scott Tippins, Electrical & Computer Engineering Technology

I became interested in alternative methods for producing energy on my first trip to Epcot when I was just starting college.  One of the side attractions was a small library that featured information about fuel cells and their operation. After three hours of browsing and reading, I was hooked.

Since that time, I have been following the progress made in diverse fields such as wind, oceanic technologies, solar, and hydroelectricity. Unfortunately, as fuel prices began falling in the early 80s, research and development slowed down as funding sources dried up, and we have not seen enormous interest in this area until recently.
But now is definitely the time for alternative energy.  With fuel prices rising and showing no sign of declining any time soon, we are seeing amazing growth and interest in this area.  The students are excited, we are excited, and society is getting excited about the possibilities.