UW’s Nga Nguyen Receives NSF CAREER Award to Develop Energy Storage Strategies

Propelled by low-energy carbon policies and phasing out of fossil fuels, the U.S. power system is experiencing a fast-paced integration of renewable energy resources and electric vehicles. However, the integration of these resources causes more challenges to system sustainability and reliability.

A University of Wyoming faculty member is developing advanced strategies for energy storage systems management to ensure their effective operation as well as improve system stability and reliability within dynamic electric markets.

Nga Nguyen, an assistant professor in UW’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, received a big boost toward this research endeavor when she recently was awarded a $437,192 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF’s Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems recommended Nguyen for the award.

Nguyen will receive continuing grant funding for her project, titled “CAREER: Energy Storage Systems for Dynamic Reliability of Modern Clean Smart Grid.” The grant began April 1 and ends March 31, 2029.

“The project will establish the optimal operation of energy storage systems to facilitate the maximum integration of renewable energy resources and electric vehicles in the power systems,” Nguyen says. “The project contributes to advancing the nation’s energy security by improving the stability, equity, reliability and environmental sustainability of the U.S. power grids. It also boosts the nation’s economy by fostering the growth of energy sectors. The project also commits to social responsibility and inclusivity by contributing to diversifying the energy and technology workforce.”

The research is being conducted on campus, says Nguyen, who will serve as principal investigator of the grant. The grant will support two UW graduate students, who will start work on the grant this fall, and two UW undergraduate seniors. While she has not yet named the students who will assist her, all will be electrical engineering majors, she says. 

Public Involvement

As part of the NSF CAREER Award, Nguyen will conduct some public outreach. These outreach activities are designed to provide a significant educational impact, including new curriculum development, enhancement of graduate and undergraduate research programs, and the creation of new mentorship and career opportunities, particularly for those from underrepresented groups in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), Nguyen says.

Students will have the opportunity to work with experts from Sandia National Laboratories, which is headquartered in Albuquerque, N.M., and two industry companies: Moser Energy Systems and Powder River Energy Corp.

Two summer camps for K-12 students will be available through the Engineering Summer Program in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences.

Shawn Griffiths, an associate instructional professor and director of the Engineering Summer Program, and Rachel Watson, a senior lecturer in the UW Division of Kinesiology and Health and director of the Learning Actively Mentoring Program, will support Nguyen in the educational outreach activities.

The CAREER Program offers NSF’s most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations. Such activities should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research.

“This project will support my long-term research and education in power system stability and reliability, particularly in the integration of energy storage systems and renewable energy resources,” Nguyen says. “It also plays an important role in assisting graduate and undergraduate students in my group in their education and their career in the future.

“It also strengthens our collaborations with Sandia National Laboratories and our collaboration with utility and industry companies in Wyoming,” she continues. “I also expect that this project will help us to reach out to more K-12 students in Wyoming and introduce them to STEM education at UW.” 

Nguyen received her Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from Michigan State University and her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in electric engineering, both from Hanoi University of Science and Technology in Vietnam.