Spring 2024 Postdoctoral Exchange Program

The Center of Excellence for Energy, funded by the American people through the United States Agency for International Development, hosted a Postdoctoral Exchange Program, offering faculty in energy-related fields at the center’s Egyptian partner universities the opportunity to develop their skills and conduct research at Arizona State University. Teams of faculty, including both the visiting Egyptian professors and Arizona State University professors, collaborated on energy research in areas pertinent to Egypt’s energy challenges to support the country in reaching its goal of 42% renewable energy by 2035. The center works with stakeholders to increase higher education capacity to produce a strong workforce in the energy sector by assessing and developing curriculum and laboratory space, conducting binational research that is pertinent to the energy sector, and facilitating exchanges and training as well as developing revenue streams for the long-term sustainability of the center.

Eight Egyptian faculty researchers from the center’s inaugural program recently completed their Spring 2024 semester abroad and returned to Egypt in May 2024. The first cohort included five professors from Aswan University, two from Mansoura University, and one from Ain Shams University.

From January to May 2024, the exchange faculty developed their research skills in Arizona State University’s cutting-edge facilities. Guided by their ASU mentors, they completed research in waste-to-energy conversion, energy storage, solar panel degradation, and electric vehicle batteries, among others.

One notable project is by Dr. Naira Meky and Dr. Essam Mahmoud, assistant professors at Aswan University, who are collaborating with Dr. Shuguang Deng from ASU to develop clean energy and water sources from biowaste. They have made significant progress in increasing energy density in biofuels and producing potable water. This project is important for Egypt, which has limited access to fossil fuels and a significant carbon footprint. The goal is to convert the 20 million tons of agricultural waste produced in Egypt each year into valuable bioproducts, reducing the country’s carbon emissions.

Enhancement of battery performance and longevity for electric vehicles was the focus of the collaborative research between Dr. Mahmoud Shouman of Mansoura University and his ASU mentor Dr. A. M. Kannan, a specialist in fuel cell and battery research with over 30 years of expertise. The team spent their time in the lab working to improve battery behavior and health by reducing degradation.

A significant aspect of the project is using phase-changing materials to manage the heat of electric vehicle batteries. These materials are simpler and more energy-efficient than traditional water-cooled systems, which need radiators, fans, pumps, and water channels.

Given the complexity of battery systems and the need for specialized expertise, Dr. Shouman’s acquired knowledge and skills in the optimization and control of advanced battery systems will significantly impact the research outcomes at Mansoura University’s Electric Vehicle Laboratory.

Improved battery technology in Egypt is vital for the adoption of electric vehicles, supporting the country’s efforts to reduce emissions and achieve its goal of generating 42% of its energy from renewable resources by 2035.

Aside from conducting research in the labs, visiting faculty took part in different activities such as a workshop led by Dr. Clark A. Miller, ASU professor and Director of the Center for Energy and Society, on Egypt’s transition to clean energy. They also toured ASU laboratories in microelectronics, power, energy management, and other relevant disciplines across the ASU campus. Additionally, four visiting researchers were chosen to attend the 13th Annual Arizona Student Energy Conference (AzSEC) in April 2024, where graduate students and postdoctoral scholars from the ASU, University of Arizona, and Northern Arizona University meet with leading renewable energy experts and researchers for knowledge-sharing and networking opportunities.

Participating faculty also ventured off campus during the program, visiting notable sites and cities in the Southwestern US—such as San Diego, California, and Grand Canyon National Park—to further their cultural learning and understanding.

The visiting professors intend to continue working with their ASU counterparts after the exchange concludes, and the program’s activities are expected to result in progress toward developing potential research, publications, and intellectual property.

Plans are currently in progress for the upcoming cohort of the program scheduled for Spring 2025.