2024 International Research Experiences for Students (IRES)
on Renewable Energy and Environmental Sustainability

About This NSF-IRES Porgram:

This International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) project will provide international research experiences for about 12 undergraduate and/or graduate students to carry out international collaborative researches at the University of Tokyo in Japan,  and  Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU)  in China for 8 weeks.

The objective of the IRES project is to provide the future American engineers a global perspective and opportunities for their professional growth through meaningful international cooperative research training, networking and mentoring in the fields of renewable energy and environmental sustainability.

This project will bring together IRES participants, involved professors, Japanese/Chinese faculty members, and their graduate/undergraduate students with multi-cultural background in a multi-level learning experience infused with the excitement of discovery.

It will train participants conduct research in an international research environment to remain at the forefront of world science and technology, making them more proficient in the technical subjects. The program will provide opportunities for their professional development to build their future collaboration network and expose them to Japanese/Chinese culture and tradition, applicable technological trends and business practices.

Technical Themes of the NSF-IRES program:

The research themes of this IRES program are Renewable Energy  (i.e., renewable energy track) and Environmental Sustainability (i.e., environmental sustainability track). By leveraging the unique research facilities and instruments/equipment available at host Universities and under the supervision of the relevant  faulty mentors, the IRES students on "environmental sustainability track" will investigate the effects of blended biomass feedstocks and catalytic co-pyrolysis of biomass and plastic wastes for synergistic production of high quality biofuels and value-added chemicals, while the IRES students on "renewable energy track" will conduct comprehensive investigations relevant to wind turbine aeromechanics, such as, to quantify surface wind characteristics and to evaluate their effects on the aeromechanic performance and wake interferences of wind turbines sited over various complex terrains for higher total power yield and better durability of wind turbines operating on onshore and offshore wind farms.

In addition to working in the laboratory to conduct innovative research, the IRES students will also participate in various social and cultural exchanging activities in order to enhance student-faculty, student-mentor and student-student interactions to enable the IRES participants to build their personal friendship and professional connections with participating Japanese/Chinese mentors and students as well as among the IRES participants themselves on which to build networking for their future professional development and collaboration.

              Theme#1: "Renewable energy track"                                            Theme#2: "Environmental sustainability track"

NSF-IRES Summer Internship:

Duration of the NSF-IRES Summer Internship Program:

•  From May 26, 2023 to  July 19, 2024 (8 weeks).

• Up to $6,400 stipend for 8 weeks.

• Up to $2,000 travel expenses.

• Up to $1,600 additional subsistence for meals, housing, health insurance and other logistics.

Eligibility of the Applicants for the NSF-IRES Summer Internship: