IUP possesses several unique areas of faculty expertise, research interests, and academic curriculum that can support research partnerships, collaborative projects, and educational outreach in traditional and alternative energy sectors. Interdisciplinary teams of faculty members spearhead the university's energy initiatives in research, resource development, and education/outreach.
Department of Geography, Geology, Environment, and Planning
Energy Research Capabilities
Spatial environmental analysis, geographic information systems/cartography, underground mine mapping research, wind-energy placement planning, transportation, infrastructure, light detection and ranging (LIDAR) technology, subsurface stratigraphy, particle size and shape analysis, stream discharge, sediment flow, environmental geophysics
Related Research
Wind-energy planning, modeling of wildlife/wind energy conflicts, geographic information systems for acid mine drainage remediation planning, monitoring Beaver Run Reservoir, sedimentology, paleontology, structural geology and tectonics, hydrology, hydrogeology, environmental geophysics, mineralogical analysis
Department of Anthropology
Energy Capabilities
Cultural resource investigations, ethnographic studies, community education and outreach
Related Research
Shallow subsurface surveying, community education and survey training, social impacts of energy development, sustainable development in Appalachia
Department of Safety Sciences
Energy Capabilities
Occupational safety and health, safety management, construction safety, environmental safety, workforce training, wind safety and manufacturing, natural gas drilling (shallow and deep). Safety Sciences highly differentiates IUP for energy research and workforce training and can add a unique perspective to energy research design. Safety Sciences helps to secure the safety of all workers while also increasing the knowledge of federal, state, and local compliance and regulatory matters.
Expertise Areas
Occupational safety and health; industrial hygiene; systems safety; legal aspects of safety, health, and environmental regulations; fire safety; safety management; ergonomics; construction safety; environmental safety; hazardous materials; emergency preparedness
Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physics, and Engineering
Energy Capabilities
Water-quality testing
Related Research
Investigating the effects of acid mine drainage and Marcellus Shale wells on water quality
Energy Research Capabilities
Computation of material properties and modeling of modern multijunction solar-cells using silicon and novel III-N semiconductor materials. Experimental measurement of electric, electronic, magnetic, and optical properties of materials and novel devices.
Related Research
Actively pursuing air quality measurements in the vicinity of conventional and unconventional natural gas wells at Beaver Run reservoir in Westmoreland County, Pa. Investigating methods for finding and assessing fugitive natural gas emissions from abandoned wells as part of a Dominion 2014 Higher Educational Partnership grant.
Department of Biology
Energy Research Capabilities
Forestry and wildlife ecology, including wildlife conservation, habitat management, impacts of human disturbance on biodiversity and ecosystem carbon cycling
Related Research
Forest reclamation, wildlife ecology and conservation, habitat management and restoration, wildlife-habitat relationships, large mammal restoration, small population biology