Empowering Minority-Serving Institutions: The FACES Program Connects MSI Faculty to DOE and National Laboratories

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has recently announced the first group of faculty members selected for the Faculty-Applied Clean Energy Sciences (FACES) Program. This innovative program aims to establish connections between DOE laboratories and academic institutions, improve STEM education, and advocate for clean energy responsibility in social and environmental sciences.

The program has chosen its initial cohort from minority-serving institutions (MSI) across the country, including Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs), historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions (ANNHSIs), and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions (AANAPISIs).

The selected faculty members will be working closely with scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado for a 10-week summer program. Their primary goal is to develop educational modules on various clean energy topics that can be incorporated into their home institution’s curricula and shared with other MSIs. This collaboration will help teachers support students who are interested in pursuing careers in clean energy.

Terrence Mosley, senior advisor for diversity and STEM in DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), stated, “We are thrilled to provide MSI faculty members with the opportunity to engage directly with DOE and national laboratories through FACES. This partnership will expand their research networks and empower them to educate their students on cutting-edge clean energy science topics. Through strong STEM education and diverse representation in the scientific workforce, the United States will be better equipped to build a sustainable future.”