Argonne, UIC launch sustainability institute
DuPage County’s Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Illinois Chicago launched a new joint institute for sustainability Wednesday.
Combining the strengths of a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory and Chicago’s only public research university, the two science giants formed the George Crabtree Institute for Discovery and Sustainability to focus on enhancing global well-being and sustainability — while including community-engaged local projects.
Named after George Crabtree, a physicist who held positions at both Argonne and UIC, the hub will pursue innovation in energy generation and storage, artificial intelligence, urban development and other sciences.
“George was a revered and beloved scientist and educator, so it’s fitting that a partnership like this between Argonne and UIC would carry on his legacy,” Argonne Laboratory Director Paul Kearns said in a news release. “I look forward to the impact this institute will make on multiple important fronts.”
In addition to its research goals, the partnership will open up new avenues for education through a collaborative research fellowship for Argonne and UIC staff. The institute will also support research training for UIC undergraduate and graduate students, as well as for postdoctoral fellows at Argonne and UIC.
Students from groups underrepresented in science and technology careers will be especially encouraged to participate in these programs, according to the news release.
“We want to create more research collaborations that have a Chicago flavor, that work with and help our community,” said Jordi Cabana, inaugural co-director of the Crabtree Institute, professor of chemistry at UIC and group leader in Argonne’s Materials Science division. “These programs can also provide students from disadvantaged backgrounds with new opportunities. We can amplify the cutting-edge research at UIC and Argonne, while plugging these students into STEM career pipelines early.”
• Jenny Whidden is a climate change and environment writer working with the Daily Herald through a partnership with Report For America supported by The Nature Conservancy. To help support her work with a tax-deductible donation, see dailyherald.com/rfa.