April 2023 Newsletter
Message From the Provost
As stated in Clarkson’s mission, “sound economic and social development derive from the expansion, diffusion and application of knowledge.” Our faculty are key to helping the University achieve this mission. Through their dedication and scholarship, we have the foundation on which to expand programs. We have the opportunity to diffuse the knowledge of our faculty specialists, such as through a new project with Micron. And we have the ability to apply their cutting-edge research to projects funded by institutions such as the NSF and others. I am very pleased to share with you articles about those who are making our mission reality.
— Goodarz Ahmadi, Interim Provost / Clarkson Distinguished Professor / Robert H. Hill Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Multiplying Microcredentials
Employers already had a big reason to hire Clarkson graduates — now they have a micro one. Clarkson recently received a $729,000 workforce development grant from New York state that will help expand our Advancing Industry With Microcredentials program. New courses in advanced manufacturing, clean technology and construction will make our grads more sought-after than ever.
A Beautiful Partnership
Micron Technology has awarded Professors Jihoon Seo and Alan Rossner a project to research the environmental sustainability of chemical mechanical planarization consumable manufacturing. On the heels of Micron’s announcement that it will invest up to $100 billion in a semiconductor fabrication facility in Upstate New York, this project looks like the beginning of a beautiful partnership.
Weather in Space
When you think of weather prediction, you probably think of our weather on Earth. Space weather, however, is harder to predict. The sun’s convection zone is where this weather begins, and Professor Chunlei Liang is working on a project to improve convection predictions. His project will be funded by a nearly $400k grant from the National Science Foundation.
Heading Off Devastation
Reducing greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere is one of the most critical ways we can hope to avoid the devastating effects of climate change. Professor Simona Liguori is hoping to develop one solution through a project that removes CO2 from the atmosphere by converting it into methanol. Her idea has been validated by a number of organizations that awarded her funding for the project.