Institute for Energy and the Environment Core Programs

This annual competition is a flagship for IEE and the College of Engineering, including 4,400 of the best and brightest students

from 90 universities having participated in this challenge for sustainable environmental solutions since 1991. Some

of the sponsors from the competition exemplify the diversity of interest/support for the event: American Water Works

Association Research foundation, Bechtel Corp. Intel Corp., Los Alamos National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National

Laboratory, New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Sandia National Laboratory, U.S. Department

of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Energy. Tasks include food contamination safety, water quality, renewable

energy development, and more.   For more information about the International Environmental Design Contest, click here.

Pollution Prevention addresses the reduction of waste at its source. Since 1999, the WERC resources center in

Albuquerque has provided on-site assistance on P2 and energy efficiency issues for industry, businesses, municipalities,

and the New Mexican Tribes. Significant waste reductions have been realized in the healthcare industry, dental clinics in

particular. Pesticide reduction has been significantly decreased in the regional agricultural sector of pecan farming, and

the auto repair, dry cleaning, and hospitality arenas have been positively impacted as well.

Methyl-tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), a gasoline additive to enhance oxygenation, is often found in groundwater as a result

of leaking underground storage tanks. IEE has conducted a pilot-scale system evaluation on a prototype advanced

oxidation process (AOP) to determine the efficiency of MTBE removal from water under field conditions. Currently

preparations are underway to develop and evaluate an improved AOP prototype for MTBE removal.

The Arsenic Water Technology Partnership Program--A research partnership between Sandia National Laboratories, IEE,

the American Water works Association Research Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy--continues to move

forward in its innovative efforts to find cost-effective solutions and tools for removing arsenic from drinking water.

The Pre-Freshman Engineering Program is a six-week, academically intense summer program of pre-college students who

have demonstrated high academic achievement. PREP’s goal is to prepare future leaders for careers in science, technology,

engineering, and mathematics (the STEM fields).

The environmental management minor is an interdisciplinary program administered by IEE.

Renewable energy systems include topics in thermal-solar, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal systems, and other

current areas. Theory, practical applications, safety considerations and the economics of alternative

renewable energy systems are also examined.

While IEE has a long history of scholarship/fellowship programs, the current scholarship available is the RIOTECH (Rio

Grande Technology Foundation) award for full-time students accepted into graduate school with an emphasis on an

environmentally-focused field, particularly environmentally conscious manufacturing technology development.

IEE supports between five to 10 graduate assistants and student employees per semester.

This world class program educates power system engineers to understand the engineering aspects of electric

power systems, as well as the economics, management, and societal aspects of the power engineering profession.

In addition to monitoring the WIPP site, the center specializes in the following areas: environmental chemistry,

field programs, informatics and modeling, internal dosimetry and radiochemistry.

Dirty Bomb Full Scale Exercises to “train the trainers” and address first responder preparedness take place annually

in Carlsbad or on the NMSU campus in conjunction with NMSU Police Department. First responders include fire,

EMS, Hazmat and law enforcement personnel.

IEE researchers conducted applied research and a field demonstration on innovative methods of safeguarding

abandoned mine lands. A light weight, crumb-rubber slurry was developed from used tires for the purpose of

filling potentially hazardous land cavities in the Boston Hill mining area of Silver City, NM. The ground rubber

replaces the aggregate normally used in a cement slurry mixture.

SWTDI’s focus is on renewable energy technologies with international course development in 130 countries on 7

continents. SWTDI provides contract services for systems analysis, program implementation, business development,

feasibility studies, market studies, computer modeling, and educational computer kiosks. SWTDI has accumulated

extensive domestic and international experience with a variety of renewable energy technologies.

• New Mexico Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), Est. 1997

• Community Water Education Festivals, Est. 1998

• Make a Splash With Project WET, statewide/national water education festivals

• Community water education festivals for K-12 students and teachers

• Small Scale Chemistry Program, an innovative teaching approach that manifests the “Green Chemistry”

movement by incorporating fun and safe conservation-based experiments that are time-efficient and

inexpensive

• Annual Art and Essay Contest on the Environment (6th through 12th grades)