The DOE infrastructure support program at the University of Texas at El Paso. Final report

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is located on 300 acres, only a few hundred years from the US/Mexico border. The DOE Infrastructure Support Program was initiated at UTEP in 1987. The purpose of the program was to assist the University in building the infrastructure required for its emerging role as a regional center for energy-related research. Equally important was the need to strength the University`s ability to complete for sponsored energy-related programs at the state and national levels and to provide opportunities for faculty, staff and students to participate in energy-related research and outreach activities. The program had four major objectives, as follows: (1) implement energy research, outreach and demonstration projects already funded, and prepare new proposals to fund university research interests; (2) establish an Energy Center as a separate operational entity to provide continuing infrastructure support for energy-related programs; (3) strengthen university/private sector energy research linkages; and (4) involve minority graduate and undergraduate students in energy research and outreach activities. Each of the above objectives has been exceeded substantially, and, as a consequence, the University has become a regional leader in energy and environmental research and outreach efforts