U-M receives $2.5 million of Biden’s $2 billion battery promise

Wednesday, August 12, 2009 | Source: Concentrate

When Vice President Joe Biden announced $2.4 billion in federal stimulus grants at Detroit's TechTown business incubator last week, it meant about $1.2 billion in cash for Michigan. It also means about $2.5 million for the University of Michigan.

That's the slice of the battery pie U-M will receive to develop curriculum for the training of the next generation of automotive engineers. It’s part of $10 million that U-M, Wayne State University and Michigan Technological University will split to train these new engineers. These engineers will research and develop the advanced batteries and hybrid/electric car technology of the future, meaning thousands of jobs for Michigan.

U-M will create classes, degrees, programs and certificates for everything from graduate to elementary school students. It has already started doing this sort of curriculum development by partnering with the like of General Motors.

This grant will create 10 courses, such as the electrification of the automobile issues such as hybrid electronics and lithium ion batteries. The classes will be for both undergraduate and graduate students. The first classes are set to begin in time for the winter semester. The are also plans to create a energy summer camp for K-12 students.

Source: University of Michigan
Writer: Jon Zemke