Oak Ridge National Laboratory is casting a net out to STEM students across the nation, presenting them with an opportunity not just to think outside the box but to build it better, too. The institution's latest initiative, the JUMP into STEM competition, is co-sponsored by ORNL and aims to harness young intellects in the service of developing more affordable, efficient, and comfortable building technologies. Challengers are invited to submit their groundbreaking ideas by November 8, 2024, as detailed in a recent report from ORNL's news release.
This is more than a mere academic exercise, according to Yeonjin Bae, ORNL's JUMP into STEM lead. "This competition offers students a real-world opportunity to experience the journey of bringing building technologies from the research-and-development stage to commercialization," Bae remarked in a statement obtained by ORNL's news team. Students are tasked with formulating efficient solutions to improve not only building affordability but also to slash peak power demands and enhance indoor comfort, particularly in regions with extreme climate conditions.
The challenges proudly sport a societal edge as they don't merely focus on technological innovation. One aspect firmly shines a spotlight on improving the equity and accessibility of high-efficiency building technologies, paving the way for broader adoption. Another prompts students to concoct strategies for reducing thermal load and HVAC demands, aiming for a substantial dip in carbon emissions while taking into account the financial realities of low-income communities.
In a clear move to stimulate inclusive innovation, JUMP into STEM warmly extends its reach to students from historically underrepresented groups in the STEM fields. This strategic step reflects a desire to diversify the building sciences workforce with fresh perspectives and skill sets. "The access to directors from programs and leading scientists and engineers shows just how much the Department of Energy is dedicated to bringing young people who represent the fabric of this country to the forefront of cutting-edge research on building technology," Liane Hancock, a student advisor with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, told ORNL's news team.
Thriving in such a challenge carries tangible rewards, leading winning teams to paid summer internships at ORNL, as well as at fellow national laboratories NREL and PNNL. Here, interns will find themselves hammering out their concepts alongside top-tier building scientists and industry leaders. The final face-off for these emerging tech talents is scheduled for January 30 – 31, 2025, hosted by NREL, with successful teams also getting one-on-one mentorship and networking opportunities with industry sponsors like Johnson Controls and Clayton Home Building Group.
For interested STEM professors and students, there's room to weave JUMP into STEM directly into university curricula or to dive in as independent units. Those keen on the latter and onlookers curious about the scope and support of the DOE's Office of Science can find additional competition details and information about current challenges on the official ORNL's JUMP into STEM page.
