Alternative Energy Workshops

Alternative Energy Demo 1Auburn University recently sponsored a series of workshops for teachers on alternative energy. The workshops, titled "Alternative Energy: A Workshop for Middle School Teachers," were held June 27-28 and July 18-19 and are supported by the Center for Space Exploration Power Systems and the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. The purpose is to train middle school teachers to better educate their students about alternative energy sources.

"These workshops were designed to open doors for discussion in the classroom concerning alternative energy sources," said Mark Nelms, a professor in electrical and computer engineering.  "We've heard nothing but positive feedback from the teachers who have participated." Nelms and Regina Halpin, a consultant from program evaluation and assessment, were the organizers of the event.

Alternative Energy Demo 3The workshop incorporated the Auburn University Solar House and other projects to spur discussion on solar energy and hydrogen and oxygen fuel cells. On the first day of the workshop, the teachers utilized solar energy to power a toy-sized car. On the second day, they used a solar panel to perform electrolysis - the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen for the fuel cell.