Student Opportunities

FEEDER Institute for Distributed Technologies and Renewable Energy

Consisting of seven Southeast U.S. Universities, eight utility companies, ten supporting industry partners and two national labs, the FEEDER Consortium undertakes curriculum development, education and training activities, and research aimed at widespread adoption of renewable energy resources and deployment of smart grid technologies. Educational and training activities are undertaken by the FEEDER Institute for Distributed Technologies and Renewable Energy, and research activities are carried out through the FEEDER Research Center for Distributed Technologies and Smart Grid. 
 
The Consortium, led by the University of Central Florida, has the primary mission of significantly advancing power systems engineering capability in the U.S. The FEEDER Consortium is one of four centers funded by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in the Department of Energy as part of the GEARED (Grid Engineering for Accelerated Renewable Energy Deployment) program. FEEDER works to foster student competence and career interest in advanced engineering and professional skills supporting power systems analysis and integration of distributed generation, with a focus on renewable energy, in particular solar power. The Consortium provides a number of one- and two-day short courses on topics such as “Introduction to Smart Grid” and “Complex Networks and Electricity Grids” and conduct periodic seminars on topics important to students and industry professionals working with distributed generation resources and smart grid.

For more information about the FEEDER program, please visit http://www.feeder-center.org.  

Undergraduate Student Opportunities

More information coming soon.

Graduate Student Opportunities

Power Semiconductor Device Modeling

The University of Arkansas seeks highly motivated students at the M.S. and Ph.D. level for graduate study in power semiconductor device modeling. This research will involve developing an understanding of semiconductor device physics at both the classical microelectronic and power electronic levels, use of modern TCAD tools for device analysis, use of modern modeling tools for model creation, validation and parameter extraction, and use of laboratory equipment (e.g., curve tracers, probe stations, etc.) to obtain experimental measurements against which models are validated. Research will involve both silicon and silicon carbide semiconductor technology and may expand to other materials as projects require. Simple power electronic circuit design concepts will be mastered and accompanied with board-level prototyping for thorough understanding device, parasitic and circuit interactions. The expected level of contribution is commensurate with the degree being sought, with excellent employment opportunities available at either the master’s or doctoral level. People with baccalaureate degrees in physics or electrical engineering are encouraged to apply.