UB TCIE clean energy courses ranked in top 10
By Elizabeth Egan
Published April 26, 2024
Two online courses offered by the University at Buffalo’s Center for Industrial Effectiveness (TCIE) have been ranked among the top 10 sustainability and renewable energy courses in 2024 by the AI Time Journal.
“We are honored to have our courses recognized by the AI Time Journal,” said Timothy Leyh, executive director of TCIE. “Our goal is to empower learners with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in rewarding renewable energy careers. We continue to update these programs with new lessons and resources, providing learners with cutting-edge content and insights.”
TCIE aims to improve the enterprise performance of organizations, serving as the business outreach arm of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The center is committed to professional and continuing education that is focused on workforce development and operational excellence.
Through a needs assessment performed in 2019, the center identified a gap in clean energy learning opportunities geared towards professional and non-traditional students. In response, it collaborated with experts from six SUNY schools to create content for the development of online courses offered on Coursera.
The Solar Energy for Engineers, Architects and Code Inspectors specialization ranked second on the list. The three-course series is primarily designed for professionals who are looking to expand their skillset in the field of solar energy. Two of the courses in the series offer approved continuing education credits for people seeking to maintain their credentialling with the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. Since the program launched in 2020, the three courses have had nearly 12,000 completions.
Renewable Energy: Fundamentals and Job Opportunities was listed third in the ranking. The renewable energy course showcases foundational lessons that are taught by faculty from five SUNY institutions. The original course launched in 2021, and an enhanced version was released in 2024 to offer an expanded understanding of offshore wind turbine technology. The course has nearly 2,000 completions and received 4.7 out of five stars on Coursera.
TCIE is executing two grants from the Offshore Wind and Training Institute, totaling $800,000, to update the renewable energy fundamentals course and to create a new course to raise awareness of offshore career pathways. The grants also allow New York State residents to enroll in the renewable energy course at no cost.