Amazon Web Services (AWS) has partnered with George Mason University in Fairfax County, Virginia, to launch a new renewable energy lab.
The lab will be located within Fuse at Mason Square, an R&D facility run by the university for its students. It is also launching a companion curriculum concentration in sustainable data center engineering this fall.
Funding from Amazon’s cloud platform will provide advanced equipment and software tools for the lab, which will allow students to explore, analyze, and simulate data related to renewable energy sources as well as the complex design and operation of microgrids.
The lab will replicate real-world equipment such as power grids, wind power plants, and other renewable energy sources.
“We are very appreciative of our continuing partnership with AWS,” Mason president Gregory Washington said. “Because of their support, we are providing our students and faculty with cutting-edge technology and tools that unite our researchers across many disciplines to further their knowledge about data centers. With this level of education and experience, our students are well-prepared to enter the tech workforce.”
The new concentration in sustainable data center engineering will focus on renewable energy generation, storage, and distribution training, and the university said it will give students “hands-on experience."
Mason launched a data center engineering course last year in partnership with AWS that “develops student expertise in data center infrastructure design, operations, efficiency, cooling, and decarbonization.”
“Investing in expanded laboratory experiences for students is critical,” Nicholas Lee-Romagnolo, program lead of workforce and economic development at AWS, said. “George Mason students from all disciplines will have access to real-world technologies and hands-on simulations. This type of immersive learning complements the breadth of new programs offered to students and helps ensure they have the opportunity to develop the skills needed to fill high-demand jobs across the region.”
AWS has multiple data centers in Virginia, with many located in Loudoun and Fairfax County. It claims to have invested $35bn in the state since 2006, and has pledged another $35bn by 2040.
“AWS’s investment in the renewable energy lab provides another critical piece to Mason’s experiential ecosystem designed to prepare the next generation of engineers for roles that did not exist 10 years ago,” said Liza Wilson Durant, associate provost for strategic initiatives and community engagement at the university. “Mason will now expand the number of students in our power engineering and data center engineering programs with hands-on skills development, which is essential to bridge between the classroom and industry practice.”
