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Clean Energy Education: Curriculum to Change Lives and Address Climate Change
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2025
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dissertation
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This dissertation examines clean energy (CE) education to determine how to educate candidates in multidisciplinary aspects of clean energy to support a global transition away from fossil fuels. Specifically, this work focuses on Western New York and draws from qualitative and quantitative data reflecting the perspectives of key industry actors. Growth in clean energy technology and manufacturing increases the demand for engineers and technicians trained in these areas (UBRI, 2019). This dissertation addresses the findings from a survey with 72 respondents and interviews of 13 stakeholders related to starting CE training programs. The study provides educational action plans for clean energy companies, trainers, and academic institutions and describes a robust CE education program, enrollment strategies, and community support. Community collaboration is emphasized since community, industry, and higher education leaders must communicate and agree on action plans to invest in clean energy technicians. Acceptance of climate change science remains inconsistent across political and socioeconomic groups. Individual acceptance of and move to action on climate change depends on whether physical or financial effects are experienced from it (Brink et al., 2023). The findings address this cultural resistance, as acceptance of climate action science is necessary for the success of CE initiatives, and it will also support science dialogue against political polarization. Recommendations are made to increase social justice by understanding workforce development challenges in low-income communities and using strategies to recruit underserved candidates into technical training that can be a path to upward social mobility. CE programs can mutually benefit the industry by providing well-trained technicians to close employment gaps, and academia by increasing enrollment in clean energy.