Published: August 07, 2008 12:43 am      

Energy research is a high priority at WVU

WHITE HALL — Technology professionals from all over the area met Wednesday to learn about West Virginia University’s research initiatives.

It’s all part and parcel of the West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation’s monthly roundtable luncheons.

Each month, the WVHTCF invites business and technology professionals from all over the area to have lunch and listen to a guest speaker.

Wednesday’s speaker was Curt Peterson, WVU vice president for research and economic development, spoke about the university’s research programs.

Energy research is a high priority at WVU, Peterson said.

The university has identified several strategic research objectives and energy research is among those, he said.

WVU’s energy plan includes becoming nationally recognized for energy research.

To accomplish that goal, the university is hiring faculty with expertise in different areas of energy technology.

A new partnership with two other universities and the federal government is also helping.

In February 2008, WVU, the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University created CWP Inc. The company is designed to facilitate research opportunities on the three university campuses in association with the National Energy Technology Laboratories.

NETL, a part of the federal Department of Energy, has laboratories in Morgantown and Pittsburgh.

Peterson said work began to create CWP Inc. four years ago. Today, two other universities are in talks to join up.

“Through the consortium, we plan to grow funding in the region for energy research,” Peterson said.

Other areas of research at WVU are: biometrics, biomedical and nanoscience research. Those three areas, combined with energy research, are part of the “Bucks for Brains” initiative.

Authorized by the Legislature last spring, “Bucks for Brains” provides $50 million in funding for research for West Virginia and Marshall universities. In order to access the funding, WVU and Marshall must seek out matching funds to support the projects, turning that $50 million into $100 million.

Peterson said WVU is working on raising that money now, and may have it in hand in as little as two years.

Many business and technology professionals attend the luncheons each month.

Robert Kidwell, vice president of ManTech International, said he attended the event to hear about WVU’s research in nanotechnology, which makes up a fair portion of the corporation’s interests. ManTech has offices in Fairmont.

Jamie Travelstead, Scott Sinclair and Jayson Harris, all of Fairmont’s DSD Labs, come to the event every month to keep up with local technology events.

“We want to know what’s going on in the community and with other companies,” Travelstead said.

E-mail Katie Wilson at kwilson@timeswv.com.