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ACEP to begin new community-based energy courses

November 4, 2025

The Alaska Center for Energy and Power at the ������Ƶ received a $650,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to develop immersive, place-based engineering courses for undergraduate students in any discipline.

The project will create four week-long courses designed to connect students with Alaska communities working on real-world energy challenges.

In partnership with the UAF Climate Scholars program, ACEP will launch the first two intensive courses in the summer of 2026: “Community Energy Planning in Galena” and “Introduction to Marine Energy in Nenana.” Students will learn from researchers, utility experts and community leaders to explore how engineering and design intersect with real-world, local needs and environmental realities.

“By learning from experts who practice collaboration across cultural and disciplinary boundaries, students will see models of success across wide-ranging career paths,” said Annalise Klein Gerlach, a program architect at ACEP and the principal investigator for the project.

The project responds to student interest in meaningful, impactful work that addresses sustainability and affordability of energy systems in Alaska.

“We hope this project bridges the gap between students’ career expectations and the major work that needs to be done in Alaska today,” said Emilia Sakai Hernandez, a program manager with ACEP and the co-principal investigator of the project.

Local community members will also be invited to participate alongside UAF students, gaining a deeper understanding of their own energy systems. Participants can extend their learning through ACEP internships and senior capstone projects.

The NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education award project, “Developing Next-Generation Engineers through Resilience Intensives and Mentorship,” began in October and will continue through September 2028.

Applications are now open for the courses: