Collegiate Times

Don Leo, professor of mechanical engineering and associate dean of research and graduate studies, was recently named the special assistant to the vice president for research and energy initiatives and is looking to make some major changes at Virginia Tech.

His work is being done through the dean's task force for energy security and sustainability, whose mission statement calls to "coordinate, promote, and position Virginia Tech's educational, research, and outreach efforts to achieve sustainable and secure energy systems," according to its official Web site. This goal is congruent with the four areas of investment on which Leo hopes to focus.

The first of Leo's areas of focus is to invest in "sustainable energy research;" he proposes this could be done by promoting the construction of a pilot-plant facility in Blacksburg to help promote sustainable energy technologies in the construction process.

His second area is to bring focus and increases to the nuclear science research at Tech. The plan will focus on the emerging need for nuclear power in the U.S. as a means of cleaner energy.

The third area of investment will be going toward wind and solar energy research. A working group will be merging the efforts of wind and solar technology, policy and planning to form a singular research effort.

"I am hoping to build up the national prominence of research done here at Tech," Leo said.

These areas of research are a main focus of the dean's task force, which is aiming to "position Virginia Tech as a leading resource for research and policy initiatives," according to its official aims.

The last area of investment will be going toward community engagement and the promotion of groups who will focus on both outreach and research. It will not only be research and working groups that Leo, along with the Dean's Task Force, will be working with.

"I am hoping to tap some ideas from university students through small initiatives and students within the community along with local efforts," Leo said. "But we will need to wait until early next semester to hear how those initiatives will play out."

One problem that Leo is facing with his areas of investment is the glaring issue of the university budget.

"There will be a small amount of money allocated, but part of the primary charge of the research groups ... (is)  that these groups look for external funding from funding streams such as federal or private grants" Leo said.

Leo formerly served as a programs manager in the defense sciences office of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and is looking to hopefully bring some of his national experience to sustainability research at Tech.

"The aim is to increase the national notoriety of the programs here and to increase visibility in areas that will increase our strengths," Leo said. "One charge of our work groups will be to identify the top three leaders in areas that we want to promote, find people who will visit these facilities and bring their expertise to Virginia Tech."

The dean's task force has already begun employing over a dozen energy research groups both outside and within the university, such as the tobacco commission and the center for energy systems research based within the mechanical engineering department. But delving into environmental sustainability research is no easy process.

"I do want people to realize, however, that this is a long-term process," Leo said. "We, as a university, need to look at this as a long-term process stretching over the next 3 to 5 years."