BOONE — A total of 44 educators from across North Carolina attended renewable energy workshops for teachers held this summer at Appalachian State University.

The workshops were hosted by the Appalachian Energy Center, which is part of the Research Institute for Environment, Energy and Economics (RIEEE). Participants ranged from kindergarten teachers to high school environmental science and technology teachers, as well as informal educators from museums and science institutes.

The “Invigorating K12 STEM Education Through Renewable Energy” workshop was funded by a grant from the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers, coordinated by Grace Marasco-Plummer and Janet Miller from the Appalachian Energy Center. The workshop instructors were Brian Raichle, a faculty member from the Department of Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment Department, and Marta Toran, an adjunct faculty member affiliated with RIEEE.

Participants learned ways to integrate renewable energy concepts with hands-on activities in their curriculum and classrooms. Teachers from any school can check out the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) loaner kits throughout the year from Belk Library and Information Common’s Instructional Materials Center. The kits focus on topics such as solar photovoltaic technology, wind technology and energy efficiency.

About the Appalachian Energy Center

The Appalachian Energy Center (AEC) at Appalachian State University conducts energy research and applied program activities in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy technologies, forecasting and modeling, economic development and policy analysis in a multidisciplinary environment that leverages the expertise of faculty, staff and students from across the university as a resource for private industry, local, state and federal governments, as well as nonprofits. Through its outreach programs and research, the Appalachian Energy Center benefits communities and citizens across the state by helping create new jobs, businesses and increased investment and income. Learn more at https://energy.appstate.edu.

About the Research Institute for Environment, Energy and Economics

Since 2008, Appalachian State University’s Research Institute for Environment, Energy and Economics (RIEEE) has fostered interdisciplinary research on the environment, energy and economics, especially the areas in which these subjects intersect. The institute serves as an umbrella organization for three research centers: the Appalachian Energy Center, Center for Economic Research and Policy Analysis, and Southern Appalachian Environmental Research and Education Center. Additionally, the institute manages and supports App State’s student-led solar vehicle team, Team Sunergy — an exemplary model of the integrative and experiential student learning, leadership and innovation opportunities the institute seeks to foster at App State. Learn more at https://rieee.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

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