The NSF IGERT program at the University of Vermont is an interdisciplinary training program for Ph.D. students in the field of smart grid technology.
About IGERT
The Integrative Graduate Education and Training (IGERT) program is the National Science Foundation’s flagship interdisciplinary training program, educating U.S. Ph.D. scientists and engineers by building on the foundations of their disciplinary knowledge with interdisciplinary training. The IGERT program spans science, technology, engineering, mathematics and social sciences.
The University of Vermont Smart Grid IGERT program consists of a partnership between the University of Vermont and Sandia National Laboratories. Our vision is to create a new generation of scholars who can navigate the complex socio-technical terrain required for creating a secure, efficient, and sustainable electric power system for the future. This program seeks to develop the research workforce necessary to allow intelligent development of smart grids in order to provide reliable, sustainable and efficient power delivery in keeping with consumer and society needs. Because solving these problems will require knowledge and integration of technology, policy and human behavior, trainees can pursue doctoral degrees at the University of Vermont in any of the following PhD programs:
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Computer Science
Electrical Engineering
Experimental Psychology
Mathematical Sciences
Mechanical Engineering
Natural Resources
Neuroscience
All trainees are also required to complete 3 special IGERT courses, a 5-course Certificate of Graduate Study in Complex Systems at the University of Vermont. In many cases these courses will also count toward degree requirements. During the summer after their first year, trainees participate in a 10-week summer internship at Sandia National Laboratories.