ROWEC launched to coordinate research, workforce development, education, policy and partnership programs

Rowan University, New Jersey’s second-largest public research university, created the Rowan Energy Collaborative (ROWEC) to accelerate the adoption of comprehensive energy solutions to address the growing energy demand and energy system challenges in New Jersey.

Designed to connect the university's cross-disciplinary faculty, researchers, and workforce development professionals with key energy industry stakeholders, businesses, nonprofits, government, and academic institutions, ROWEC’s leadership team held its first open forum at the Sweeney Center conference on “Meeting New Jersey’s Energy Needs: Clean Energy, Supply and Demand” on February 27.

“ROWEC's mission is to serve as a connector, collaborator, and resource for identifying and implementing energy solutions that meet the complex needs and opportunities of today and tomorrow,” said Marie Casanova, ROWEC Program Coordinator and Assistant Director of the Green Jobs Academy of Rowan University. “We want to explore synergies with our partners, identify common goals, and co-create solutions that are effective and sustainable. We’re actively engaging with community partners to address a broad spectrum of energy topics—from policy and technology to workforce development, economic development, and environmental impact.”

Yolanda Mack. Ph.D., Associate Dean for Industry Partnerships and Workforce Development, Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering, Rowan University, stressed the collaborative nature of ROWEC’s mission.

“ROWEC is designed to be a central force in New Jersey's energy future by bringing together utilities, businesses, nonprofits and other academic institutions ready to partner with Rowan University on transformative research, education, workforce training and development, and policy initiatives,” said Mack, who served on the multi-disciplinary Rowan team that developed the new organization.

State leaders and utility officials have highlighted the challenges posed by projected growth in energy demand to power massive data centers, artificial intelligence and electric vehicles.

“Meeting our future energy needs reliably and affordably while reducing greenhouse gas emissions is one of the most difficult issues facing New Jersey policymakers in the decades ahead,” said Sweeney Center Director Mark Magyar. “The challenge is steeper than ever with a series of body blows to the offshore wind industry forcing a reset of energy generation assumptions that were a cornerstone of New Jersey’s energy master plan.

“It’s not only a question of how nuclear energy, natural gas, solar, offshore wind, hydrogen and other clean energy technologies can fit together to meet future demand, but also how to create the transmission, interconnection and battery storage solutions we need to bring that energy to businesses and consumers,” he said.

Joseph F. Stanzione III, Ph.D., Professor and Director of Rowan’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Institute, and Jie Li, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Graduate Director of the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering, joined Casanova, Mack and Magyar on the ROWEC panel at the Sweeney Center forum.

“We were fortunate to be able to bring together such a broad cross-section of expertise from Rowan’s administration and faculty to plan and develop ROWEC,” said Casanova.

Other members of the ROWEC team included Mei Wei, Ph.D., Vice President for Research; Tabbetha Dobbins, Ph.D., Dean of Graduate Studies; Erick J. Guerra, Ph.D., Associate Dean of the School of Earth and Environment; Bob Bullard, Associate Vice President of External Engagement & Economic Development;  Brenden Rickards, Vice President of Academic Services, Rowan College of South Jersey; Frank Derby, Ph.D., Director of Engineering Technology for the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering; Beth Christensen, Ph.D., Professor and Founding Chair, Department of Environmental Science; Sean Fischer, Assistant Vice President for Strategy & Collaborations, Division of University Research; Brigette Satchell, Dean of Career and Technical Services, Rowan College of South Jersey;, Garrett Broad, Provost’s Fellow for Sustainability; Behrad Koohbor, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering;  John Manuel, Manager, Office of Research Development; and Yashwant Sinha, Ph.D., Instructor in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.

For further information on ROWEC, contact Marie Casanova at casanovam@rowan.edu or 856-256-5246.