NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. — Penn State New Kensington engineering students showcased projects addressing climate-related challenges in electric power systems at the Climate Resilience and Adaptation Design Symposium on Dec. 8.
The event highlighted work from the "EDSGN 100: Engineering Design" course, recently redesigned through a collaboration between the campus and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)'s Climate READi initiative. Students applied research and practical tools to develop solutions for power generation, transmission and distribution systems impacted by weather and climate events.
Courtney Cole, assistant teaching professor of engineering, guided students throughout the course, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches and practical applications of climate resilience strategies. The redesign of the project incorporated feedback from EPRI to ensure students’ work aligned with industry standards and best practices.
Community members, industry professionals and Penn State affiliates attended the symposium, which featured student presentations demonstrating the real-world relevance of their designs.
Students used tools such as the Vulnerabilities & Adaptation Strategies Inventory, developed under the Climate READi initiative, to assess challenges and propose solutions. Cole said she plans to continue similar projects in the spring with her energy and the environment course.