AGI Co-Director Transitions to New Role

Schulz transitions to Inaugural Director of WSU’s Institute for Northwest Energy Futures

In August of 2023, Dr. Noel Schulz was named the inaugural director for Washington State University’s (WSU’s) Institute for Northwest Energy Futures (INEF). Schulz has worked in the electric grid area for over 30 years and has administrative and research leadership experience at three universities. The press release on her appointment is available here. With these new responsibilities, Schulz stepped down from her position as co-Director of the PNNL/WSU Advanced Grid Institute (AGI) in December. Anamika Dubey has been appointed the new co-Director for AGI.

“I am excited about this new opportunity with INEF and working with Chancellor Sandra Haynes and other WSU Tri-Cities colleagues on hiring faculty and staff, and developing the strategic direction for INEF,” said Schulz. “The electric grid is a key component in the energy ecosystem, and I anticipate many INEF collaborations with AGI and the other two PNNL/WSU joint institutes, Bioproducts Institute and Nuclear Science and Technology Institute.”

Why INEF?

Clean energy and reducing carbon emissions are hot topics in the U.S. and around the world today. Many energy-related topics including renewable sources, electric vehicles, hydroelectric power, hydrogen, small modular nuclear reactors, sustainable aviation fuels, storage, and energy justice, are making headlines across the nation. With all these different energy areas, who is looking at the overall interactions, finances, interdependencies, policies, and feasibility for existing and emerging technical solutions? The goal of WSU’s new Institute for Northwest Energy Futures is to provide a system approach to short-term and long-term clean energy solutions for the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

In April 2023, the state approved $7.7 million for the 2023–25 biennium for WSU to launch INEF. Funds will be used to hire researchers and staff and secure a 17,000 square foot facility to house the institute. The institute will hire eight scientists and engineers — five, including the director, will be located at WSU Tri-Cities, and three will be at WSU Pullman. The WSU Tri-Cities scientists will bring experience in energy data analytics, social impacts, life cycle assessment, and techno-economic analysis. Additional information on these new faculty postings is available on-line. For more information about INEF and WSU Tri-Cities, visit tricities.wsu.edu/inef.