Education Overview

Educational Feature Stories
Energy Educational Web Links

Students

Elementary School Level

• Scientists in the Classroom: The CAER has educational outreach programs at the elementary school level. We are partnering with Russell Cave Elementary School to strengthen its science curriculum by introducing hands-on experiments and demonstrations. CAER scientists go into the fourth grade classes and lead experiments that compliment the science curriculum being studied by the students. For more information, contact Marybeth McAlister or Bob Rathbone.
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• Energy Fair: The CAER holds an annual Energy Fair for fourth and fifth grade students from Fayette County, which features displays by energy-related organizations from both inside and outside the university. These students are from traditionally underrepresented populations. Their school scores are the lowest in town. About 200 attend. Marybeth McAlister is the contact for more information.
  | 2009 Event | 2008 Event |

• Science Fairs: CAER scientists are available to judge local science fairs in Fayette County. To determine who would be the best judge for your group, contact Marybeth McAlister.

• Outdoor Classrooms: Scientists have participated in the creation of an outdoor classroom and rain garden at local elementary schools.
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High School Level

• Pre-engineering Program: About a decade ago CAER helped start the Lafayette High School Pre-engineering Program, as part of the educational outreach portion of a National Science Foundation grant. We now provide senior research opportunities for these students.

• Experience-Based Career Education Program (EBCE): is of Fayette County public schools. High school students are assigned to a Resource Person at CAER. This person monitors and evaluates the student's attendance and activities for the duration of the internship at the Center. Students see firsthand how adults successfully incorporate their careers into their lives. Mentors create laboratory experiments that offer experience beyond the classroom and provide insight into the scientific field.
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• MSTC: High-achieving students from the Paul Laurence Dunbar Math and Science Technology magnet program do final year research projects at the CAER.

• Undergraduate Co-ops and Student Workers: The CAER employs UK undergraduates on an informal basis, and in addition, participates in the College of Engineering's Co-op program, whereby students perform research in their fields prior to graduation. This is designed to take place on alternating semesters for a total of three terms.

• University Courses: Several researchers are also adjunct faculty members of UK departments and teach courses in mining, mechanical, and chemical engineering; geology; and chemistry.

• Mining Engineering Scholarships: The CAER supports the Kentucky Mining Engineering Scholarship Program (KMES) each year. This support enables students to pursue careers as mining engineers.

• Graduate Research: Research Assistantships are offered to graduate students pursuing an M.S. or Ph.D. Generally, the research of RA's will directly complements the Center's activities and in many cases, a student engaged in research sponsored by an outside organization. Researchers serve on thesis and dissertation committees for both UK students, and those in related fields at other universities.
  
  Students' research activities are directly related to investigations germane to their field of specialization or to a thesis or dissertation topic. Researchers serve on thesis and dissertation committees for both UK students, and those in related fields at other universities. For more information on research possibilities for graduate students at the CAER, students should contact their department chair.

• Since 1999, the CAER has hosted groups of French exchange students from the University of Burgundy's materials engineering school (Ecole Superieure D'Ingenieurs de Recherche en Materiaux or ESIREM) located in Dijon, France. In this reciprocal exchange, American and French students are able to study abroad, engage in a laboratory practicum and other experiential education at the UB and UK campuses. In addition to their studies, the participants also get a chance to live abroad and immerse themselves in the language and culture of another nation. The students conduct research toward completion of a Bachelors degree in Materials Engineering, which is awarded during upon their return to their institution. More recently, the CAER has begun a similar exchange program with the University of Alicante in Spain.
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• Post Doctoral Scholarships are limited to students who have completed the requirements for a Ph.D. and otherwise meet the requirements of The University of Kentucky Graduate School. The postdocs work under the direction of a research mentor who provides advanced training to prepare the postdoctoral scholar for a research career. The Center affords the opportunity for collaborative and independent research and publication of findings as determined by mutual agreement of the postdoctoral scholar and the supervisor. For more information on postdoctoral opportunities, contact Don Challman.

Faculty and Professionals

• CAER Adjunct Faculty: Some CAER staff members also hold adjunct and tenured faculty positions with various campus academic departments.

• UK Faculty Associates: The Center prides itself on strong collaborations with campus. One of the strongest links is through the Faculty Associate program, which provides professional collaborations, lab space, summer salaries, and student employment for faculty members. Review a current list of faculty associates.

• Sabbaticals: The CAER offers sabbaticals to visiting scientists and professors. The duration of appointments varies, depending upon the circumstances, but have ranged from short appointments of a few weeks, to an extended period of a year. For more information on collaborations, contact Don Challman.

• Employee Educational Services - University Classes for Staff: The university provides staff members with the opportunity to take two classes (6 credit hours) per semester at no cost through this program. The CAER has had numerous staff members who have taken advantage of this opportunity in order to obtain degrees.

• CAER Site-Based Employee Training: The CAER information services staff organizes computer-related courses for staff members. Contact is Eva Brown.

Community Engagement

• Industrial Support Program: Industrial services include difficult-to-obtain analytical testing, assistance with technical problem solving, and longer-term collaborative research. The Industrial Support Coordinator is a single point-of-contact who evaluates a given problem, recommends a course of action, provides a free-cost estimate, and assures the job is fulfilled quickly.

• Media: CAER energy experts are available (and often consulted) for radio, TV, on-line and print media interviews on energy issues in the news.

• Regional Offices: Two energy-extension agents extend our reach to the Western and Eastern parts of the Commonwealth. The western Kentucky office is located in Henderson, while the state's eastern office is in West Liberty. The purpose of this endeavor is to assist local governments and industry in the development of energy projects by introducing them to the capabilities of the Center as well as the University as a whole.

• Teacher Workshops: The CAER holds teach-the-teacher workshops to demonstrate energy experiments that they can in turn teach their students in a classroom setting.

• Web Site: The CAER web site is THE one place to find ALL pertinent information related to the lab

• CAER Seminars: The Center organizes and hosts energy-related seminars throughout the year.

• Distinguished Lectures: The center holds distinguished lectures on energy issues, whose speakers have included: Rick Smalley, Harry Kroto, Edward Teller, Matt Simmons.

• Other Hosted Conferences: The CAER organizes and hosts many other conferences.

• Short Courses and Workshops: The CAER organizes and hosts short courses and workshops.

• WOCA Conferences: An ongoing international conference held jointly by the CAER and the American Coal Ash Association (ACAA) biennially with approximately 500 attendees. - WOCA Conference

• Ash Education Web Site: A general introduction to what coal combustion by-products are for the general public.

• Bimonthly Newsletters: Energeia is a semi-technical newsletter, begun in 1989, that publishes articles and editorials on all aspects of energy resource development and environmental topics. Its readership is around 5,000. Real Time is an online feature publication.

• Clean Coal DVD and Web Site: It was created for the public and legislators to explain clean coal technologies. Topics covered include: Energy Security and Clean Coal Technologies; Gasification for Electric Power Generation (IGCC); Transportation Fuels from Coal (Coal to Liquids); Synthetic Natural Gas from Coal (SNG); and Carbon Dioxide Capture and Sequestration.

• Energy Research at UK Brochures: A general round up and description of current energy projects on fossil fuel and renewable energy research throughout the university.

• Refereed Journal: Coal Combustion and Gasification Products will be a unique peer-reviewed journal designed specifically to communicate coal ash research. To be launched in 2009, the primary goal of the CAER and ACAA in beginning this endeavor is to bring together research that currently is published in disparate sources.

• Science Experiments for Teachers CD: Available to any teacher, both on-line and in CD format, are PowerPoint presentations of the experiments performed by researchers at the CAER's yearly Scientists in the Classroom program with a local elementary school.

• Both CAER and the Kentucky Geological Survey send representatives to Kentucky's Dept. for Energy Development and Independence to provide technical advice and consultation on energy-related questions from the public and staff. The overall purpose is to provide technical expertise and information to energy policy makers. This is a serendipitous approach to offering ongoing dialogue between the university and the state.