Future Fuels™ Director
The University of South Carolina is currently seeking an outstanding
candidate to direct its Future Fuels™ initiative.
Overview
Future Fuels is one of the top research priorities at the University of
South Carolina. The goals of the Future Fuels initiative are expanding
USC’s internationally recognized research and educational programs in
energy-related areas, and supporting the creation of a technology
transfer and business development cluster in alternative energy within
the state. This university-wide initiative will build on our highly
regarded reputation in the areas of electrochemistry and fuel cells.
Home to the nation’s only National Science Foundation
Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Fuel Cells (IUCRC)
as well as the Center for
Electrochemical Engineering, the University brings together the
world’s top scientists and industry leaders to address future energy
needs. In recognition of its concentrated efforts at building a research
cluster, USC has been awarded four Future Fuels related Research Centers
of Economic Excellence from the state
funded lottery program.
Complementary Activities
The Savannah River National Laboratory
is a SC based applied research and development laboratory at the U.S.
Department of Energy’s (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS). The laboratory
applies state-of-the-art science to provide practical, high-value,
cost-effective solutions to complex technical problems and is
internationally recognized for its efforts at hydrogen technology
development.
The Future Fuels initiative has received significant support from the
city, region and state. In the Midlands, the effort is led by the
Greater Columbia Fuel Cell
Challenge, an alliance which includes the University, the City of
Columbia, South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA), and EngenuitySC. The
Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge seeks to engage firms and service
providers to partner with the City of Columbia and the University of
South Carolina to assist in the design and implementation of a
groundbreaking plan involving unprecedented integration of hydrogen fuel
cell technology into multiple aspects of the City and the University.
At the state level, the South
Carolina Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Alliance (SCHFCA) is charged with
the development of a sustainable cluster that has sufficient resources
to compete domestically and internationally and serves as the primary
facilitator of hydrogen initiatives within South Carolina. The focus of
the alliance is to promote the development and use of quality, cost
effective accessible hydrogen, fuel cells and related technologies.
During the past five years, the University has made great progress with
the Future Fuels initiative and currently holds leadership positions
with the U.S. Fuel Cell Council and the National Hydrogen Association.
In recognition of our efforts, USC and the state were selected to be
hosts for the 2009 NHA Annual Meeting.
International Partnerships
In order to advance our interests, USC’s Future Fuels initiative has
signed two international strategic partnership agreements with the
Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Freiburg, Germany,
and Korean Institute for Energy Research (KIER). These agreements
establish research partnerships in fuel cells, hydrogen storage,
hydrogen production, chemical-energy conversion and other
electrochemical storage devices. The state of SC also has an agreement
with Queensland in Australia, which facilitates interactions between USC
and the University of Queensland. All three of these agreements call for
the exchange of scientists, engineers and students; joint programs in
research and development; and the promotion of intellectual property for
commercial purposes.
Facilities
Construction is currently underway on the
Horizon Center
which will be home for the Future Fuels initiative and will occupy an
entire city block with two buildings privately and publicly developed to
share an adjacent parking deck financed by the city. 235,000 square feet
of commercial office and laboratory space will integrate Future Fuels
research with industry within the Innovista community. Construction is
scheduled for completion by summer 2008.
The University of South Carolina
The University Of South Carolina (USC) was established in 1801. There
are currently 23,776 students enrolled at the Columbia campus of which
16,461 are undergraduates and the remaining 7,315 are graduate and
professional students. There are 17 colleges located at the main campus
and 7 branch campuses located throughout the state. The Columbia campus
offers a total of 72 baccalaureate degree programs, 117 masters degree
programs, 58 doctoral programs and 3 professional degree programs.
A study by the Research Division of the Moore School of Business
revealed that the University of South Carolina has tremendous economic
impact and its eight campuses and alumni contribute $4 billion to South
Carolina's economy. USC has been designated as a research institution of
“very high research activity” according to the Carnegie Foundation for
the Advancement of Teaching and is home to the top-ranked Moore School
of Business’ graduate program in international business, which has
maintained a ranking of #1 or #2 for 17 consecutive years according to
U.S. News & World Report.
Qualifications
Candidates must possess a doctorate in the physical sciences or
engineering, and a record of exemplary research in energy-related
technologies. Candidates are expected to have credentials and a record
of achievement consistent with the granting of tenure at the rank of
Professor. Candidates also need strong organizational skills;
outstanding written and verbal skills; and the ability to interact with
all levels of industry, state and local government.
Duties and Responsibilities
The duties of the Future Fuels Director include, but are not limited to,
the following:
Research and Scholarship
- Perform world-class research in an energy-related area.
- Lead the development of large, interdisciplinary grant
applications that ultimately will be lead to large scale,
competitive external funding.
People
- Work with deans, department chairs and other faculty to develop
a University-wide faculty hiring plan that leverages the
opportunities offered through the
Centenary Plan,
Faculty Excellence Initiative,
and other programs as established by the University.
- Oversee the recruitment of Endowed Chairs for previously funded
and future applications to the Research Centers of Economic
Excellence program related to the Future Fuels initiative.
- Develop institution wide plans for the successful recruitment of
high-caliber undergraduate and graduate students to programs
involved in the Future Fuels initiative.
External Affairs/Partnerships
- Represent the University in public forums to build awareness and
new opportunities for educational outreach.
- Work with public and private partners such as the city of
Columbia, Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge, and the South
Carolina Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Alliance to ensure viability and
success of short and long term projects.
- Identify partners willing to invest in Research Centers of
Economic Excellence related to the Future Fuels initiative.
Administrative
- Responsible for the coordination of internal operations.
- Responsible for strategic planning, management and facilitation of
Future Fuels activities and objectives.
- Ensure the principles and policies of the organization are
communicated and implemented in a timely and consistent fashion.
- Travel as necessary to recruit partnerships and site selections,
report progress toward those goals, present project results and
perform joint activities as it relates to Future Fuels related
projects.
Application Process
Nominations and applications should be sent to John W. Weidner,
Chair of the Search Committee, Office of the Vice President for
Research and Health Sciences, Osborne Administration Building,
University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208. Direct questions
and send attachments to
futurefuels@sc.edu.
To apply for the position, also go to
https://uscjobs.sc.edu.
Click on “Search Postings” on left.
Under “Search Posting” you can enter any of the following to find this
job:
- Requisition Number: 043223
- Type of position: Faculty
- Job Title: Future Fuels Director
- Department: College of Engineering and Computing
- Category: Faculty
- Campus: USC Columbia
The University of South Carolina is an equal
opportunity/affirmative action employer. Candidates from all backgrounds
are encouraged to apply.
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