CAES Annual Report FFY21

CAES ANNUAL REPORT FFY21 CENTER FOR ADVANCED ENERGY STUDIES

CAES AT A GLANCE THE CENTER FOR ADVANCED ENERGY STUDIES (CAES) is a research, education, and innovation consortium that brings together students and faculty from the public research universities in Idaho, along with Idaho National Laboratory researchers. CAES is conducting transformative energy research, educating the next generation of scientists and engineers, and partnering with industry to advance the nation’s global economic competitiveness. Our vision is the creation of a better energy future through collaboration that inspires energy leadership, ignites technology innovation, and catalyzes global impact.

1 | CAES ANNUAL REPORT FFY21

Dear Colleagues, As we begin this new year, I am excited to share the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) 2021 Annual Report. Despite another difficult year with unimaginable challenges, this report highlights a year of major advancements in research, education and innovation energy for Idaho and beyond. The CAES community is vibrant with partnerships and collaborations. I have deep gratitude for each and every one of our CAES faculty, staff, students, affiliates, partners,

and sponsors who ensured our mission continued on a positive trajectory in 2021.

Trailblazing innovation cannot occur in a vacuum, and the integration of expertise with our partner universities and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) consistently

NANCY GLENN

advances cutting-edge energy studies, research opportunities, and workforce development for students and graduates.

At Boise State, our CAES leaders and affiliates will champion the university's new Blueprint for Success as the guiding strategy. The five goals of this plan are as follows: 1) Improve Education Access and Student Success, 2) Innovation for Institutional Impact, 3) Advance Research and Creative Activity, 4) Foster Thriving Community, and 5) Trailblaze Programs and Partnerships.

As part of Blueprint for Success, we have established the “Resource Nexus for Sustainability” Grand Challenge. This is a great opportunity for CAES and its partners to contribute to leading the way towards sustainable communities and resources. There is no shortage of opportunities with academic and industry partners to advance this critical research, and Department of Energy opportunities promise even greater growth. I encourage all of us to be a part of this incredible opportunity.

The future of Boise State University and CAES has never looked brighter, and I encourage you to join me in celebrating our achievements together as we look to a new year of dazzling possibilities.

Sincerely,

Nancy Glenn, Ph.D. Interim Vice President, Division of Research and Economic Development

CAES ANNUAL REPORT FFY21 | 2

Dear Colleagues, The Center for Advanced Energy Studies at Boise State University is excited to present our 2021 Federal Fiscal Year Report. This year has been one of resilience and perseverance. Many of us began the year after a summer of isolation and moved into a Fall semester of new teaching and research challenges, spiking COVID-19 case numbers, political turmoil, and the promise of a vaccine that would help restore some sense of normalcy to our lives. Many of these challenges persist today and “normal” may seem elusive at best.

I am awestruck by the persistence of our CAES Staff, Faculty Affiliates, and Boise State students. Our collective success this past year has been enabled by the innovative and creative spirit of a team working to realize a better energy future that inspires and ignites our communities, our region, and our

DAVE ESTRADA

nation towards energy leadership with global impact. As you read through these highlights, please consider the environment and general context of

this past year in which so many of you achieved so much to move the CAES Strategy forward.

Research activity was at an all time high, new infrastructure continues to be built, students received national awards, a new National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates Site is being established at the CAES building in Idaho Falls, and new programs are supporting Senior Capstone projects, Student Led Safety Teams, and Vertically Integrated Projects. The CAES Energy Policy Institute adapted quickly to virtual environments and launched a Power Talk series that attracts a global audience and has been integrated into educational curricula of other universities.

I want to thank all of our CAES Community for your efforts this past year. I am excited for another energetic year and look forward to connecting with you all as we move forward towards more in person activities in 2022.

Sincerely,

Dave Estrada Associate Director, Center for Advanced Energy Studies

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Contents 1

CAES AT A GLANCE

5-6

CAES INSTITUTES AND PROGRAMS

7-9

INFRASTRUCTURE

10-12

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

13-16

INNOVATION AND RESEARCH

17-18

BY THE NUMBERS

19-23

INNOVATION AND RESEARCH

24-28

RECOGNITION

29-31

NEW FACES

32-34

INSTITUTE FOR PERVASIVE CYBERSECURITY

CAES ANNUAL REPORT FFY21 | 4

BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY CAES INSTITUTES AND PROGRAMS CAES Energy Efficiency Research Institute CAES Energy Efficiency Research Institute (CEERI), based out of Boise State University, promotes the efficient and effective use of energy resources through cutting edge research, accessible education, and effective outreach. Initiatives led by CEERI include (1) Developing energy efficiency concepts through research in applied technology and consumer behavior, (2) Providing specialized education for energy efficiency technicians, engineers and architects, (3) Evaluating existing energy-

saving technologies, and (4) Creating infrastructure for the accelerated transfer of ideas from the institute to the marketplace.

Industrial Assessment Center The Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) is a Department of Energy sponsored program that offers an in-depth energy assessment of a plant site including its facilities, services and manufacturing operations. As part of its mission, the IAC provides students hands-on training toward developing facility energy assessments for small and medium-sized manufacturers.

An IAC team can evaluate energy usage and examine the site for potential savings from: (1) Energy efficiency improvements, (2) Preventing pollution and minimizing waste, and (3) Improved productivity.

BY THE NUMBERS 13 energy assessments

7 students earned IAC Certificates,

A portable credential demonstrating their energy and industrial expertise

CAES Technical Assistance Program The mission of the CAES Technical Assistance Program (C-TAP) is to leverage Boise State’s infrastructure and engage the expertise of Boise State researchers to provide scientific and technical assistance to Idaho industry. In supporting Idaho industry, a key goal of C-TAP is to mentor and train students through real-world work experiences in preparation for their careers. In addition to industry-focused work, C-TAP participates in design reviews for project-based engineering courses and student club activities as well as provides regular support for the University Maker Space and College of Engineering Student Shop to further promote skills building and hands on training.

BY THE NUMBERS 20 projects for 16 clients

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Energy Policy Institute The Energy Policy Institute (EPI) is dedicated to advancing energy policy and decision-making through an evidenced-based approach that is grounded in social and technical understanding of energy systems change. From clean and secure energy to resilient and affordable energy systems, our focus is on interdisciplinary research, advising, collaborative engagement, and training. Our cross-cutting approach leverages strengths in policy, science, engineering, management and economics. EPI hosted a virtual discussion series of Power Talks via zoom each month.

BY THE NUMBERS 13 events, 1300+ participants from national labs, industry, public agencies, think tanks, academia and the general public

Advanced Sensors and Instrumentation Program Boise State University is working closely with Idaho National Laboratory through the Advanced Sensors and Instrumentation (ASI) program to address critical nuclear energy technology needs for monitoring and maintaining nuclear energy facilities. The ASI program supports novel sensor development for in-pile applications designed to provide real-time, accurate, and spatially resolved information of reactor test conditions, fuel per- formance, and material integrity during irradiation. This multidisciplinary, cross-cutting program incorporates innovative approaches in materials science, advanced manufacturing, and advanced modeling and simulation to monitor strain, temperature, and thermal transport. Through these efforts, the ASI program provides research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in preparation for the future energy workforce.

BY THE NUMBERS

5 faculty members 3 staff members 7 research thrusts 7 graduate research assistants 6 undergraduate assistants Microscopy and Characterization Suite The Microscopy and Characterization Suite (MaCS) is a state-of-the-art materials characterization laboratory designed to support the CAES consortium and its mission. Managed by Boise State University, MaCS offers researchers world-class microscopy and analysis equipment to probe the properties of radiological and non-radiological materials. As a recharge center and partner facility within the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) network, MaCS is available for use by the CAES consortium as well as academic, national lab, and industry partners around the United States.

BY THE NUMBERS 7 instruments & characterization tools 8 Rapid Turnaround Experiment Projects

74 clients

5556 instrument hours logged

CAES ANNUAL REPORT FFY21 | 6

INFRASTRUCTURE

CAES Headquarters and Microscopy and Characterization Suite Transmission Electron Microscope Project Last year the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) held a virtual groundbreaking ceremony for the $5M project to install a

new Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). This state-of-the-art piece of equipment will enhance the research capabilities and further enable collaboration at CAES. Currently completing final testing phase, this new TEM is the most technologically advanced system available to academic and national laboratory researchers in Idaho and around the world. The Spectra 300 key capabilities include monochromated, double corrected, 30 – 300kv and Tecnai TF30-FEG. Image materials structurally and Chemically down to sub-angstrom scale. This equipment brings the highest resolution imaging and spectroscopic capabilities for nuclear science PIE in the US, as to date.

The need for a robust, skilled, and diverse workforce has never been higher as the nation’s energy landscape shifts from carbonbased generation sources such as coal and natural gas to intermittent renewables. This shift has led to increased need for the research and development in energy storage and advanced nuclear reactors. The new TEM will help with the analysis and development of advanced materials that are critical to the nation’s new energy landscape.

The TEM will be a part of the Microscopy and Characterization Suite (MaCS), a Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) laboratory accessible to students and faculty at the CAES universities and to researchers all over the world. Private industry also has access to the lab’s world-class microscopes and high-end imaging equipment. If you would like to learn more about this TEM and how your research could benefit from its capabilities, please

contact Yaqiao Wu, Director, Microscopy and Characterization Suite.

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INFRASTRUCTURE

Boise State Receives Two Neutron Generators for Neutron Science Lab Boise State University received two Thermo Scientific P385 neutron generators through the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) and Advanced Sensors and Instrumentation (ASI) Program. These neutron generators, along with a suite of characterization tools, will allow students to have hands-on experiences with neutron physics, health, physics, activation

calculation and induced radioactivity in the classroom, enhancing curriculum across disciplines. The neutron irradiation will also facilitate cross-disciplinary collaborations and enable researchers to study the preliminary effects of irradiation on materials, sensors, and equipment before sending these experiments to larger, costlier, and more timeconsuming irradiation facilities.

The Neutron Science Laboratory will sit on the third floor of the state-of-the-art Micron Center for Materials Research at Boise State. Students and faculty used Monte Carlo N-Particle

(MCNP) simulations to design a shielding plan that safely protects operators from the effects of neutron irradiation, while housing tools used to characterize the electrical performance, chemical impurities, and mechanical changes of samples exposed to neutron irradiation. The shielding plan uses lowcost materials in a labyrinth design to ensure user safety and generator security.

Construction on the Neutron Science Laboratory is expected to begin in 2022.

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INFRASTRUCTURE

Equipment Installation Underway in Advanced Manufacturing Suite CAES Headquarters Idaho Falls Installation of equipment into the Center for Advanced Energy Studies’ newest laboratory, the Advanced Manufacturing (AM) Suite, began in late 2021.

When installation is complete this year, the new suite will boast a 3D metal printer capable of printing structural nuclear materials, an upgraded spark plasma sintering system and other advanced equipment. The total investment is more than $1.4M in equipment and infrastructure to support materials development, printed sensors and structural additive

manufacturing, which will complement INL’s advanced manufacturing strategy, accelerate and support INL’s research and development, and help develop new partnerships with academia, industry, federal agencies and national laboratories. The effort to equip the new AM Suite with cutting-edge equipment that supports existing programs and opens new areas in printed sensors as well as trusted artificial intelligence for advanced manufacturing is being led by CAES Associate Director for Boise State University, Dave Estrada, who is also Advanced Manufacturing Deputy Director for Academic Research at INL. The equipment will be managed as a shared resource benefitting multiple INL mission areas, including CAES, NS&T, EES&T, N&HS, ATR, and MFC. Equipment being installed includes: •

Several mills for powder production, including Retsch Emax High Energy Ball Mill, Retsch mortar and pestle mill, and a Retsch cryomill

•

High precision scales

•

Zeiss Axio imager KMAT (an upright, fully motorized, PC controlled, high performance research microscope)

•

Particle Size Analyzer w/Zeta potential measurement

•

Rotary evaporators

•

Planetary centrifuge

•

Anton Paar dynamic mechanical analyzer and rheometer

•

Super inkjet printer

•

Nanojet aerosol jet desktop printer

•

Open Additive Panda 3D Metal Printing System

The AM Suite is complemented by a new Thermofisher Spectra 300 S-STEM in the CAES Microscopy and

Characterization Suite for atomic scale imaging of printed materials, including post irradiation examination of printed structural materials and sensors.

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WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Grant Awarded to CAES to Offer Undergraduate Research Opportunities in Advanced Manufacturing Undergraduates will soon have a new opportunity to contribute to “Advanced Manufacturing for a Sustainable Energy Future.” The program is thanks to a recent grant to establish a Research Experiences for Undergraduates Site at the Center for Advanced Energy Studies in Idaho Falls.

This 10-week program will enable 10 undergraduate students from Idaho’s 2-year and 4-year institutions, and universities from across the nation, to work alongside CAES-affiliated faculty from Boise State University, Idaho State University and the University of Idaho. They’ll work on projects related to advanced manufacturing in collaboration with scientists from Idaho National Laboratory. The selected research projects will leverage new capabilities in the CAES facility, including a state-of-the-art transmission electron microscope and a suite of instruments for advanced manufacturing of sensors and instrumentation for extreme environments.

Aligned to the National Science Foundation’s Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2018–2022, CAES is conducting

transformative energy research, educating the next generation of scientists and engineers, and partnering with industry to advance the nation’s global economic competitiveness. Our vision is the creation of a better energy future through collaboration that inspires energy leadership, ignites technology innovation, and catalyzes global impact.

The program is led by the CAES Associate Director for Boise State, David Estrada, and CAES Fellow Brian Jaques, the co-principal investigator on the $365,000 grant, which will fund the program for three years. Carl Siebert of Boise State’s Program Evaluation and Research Lab will support them by studying the role of faculty and national lab scientist mentorship on undergraduatestudent’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) identity.

“The success of this program will only be possible through the strong collaborations enabled through CAES,” Estrada said. “I am extremely grateful for the support of the CAES Executive Board, and the CAES-affiliated faculty from the state’s research institutions for their commitment to advancing the mission of CAES in support of a better energy

future.”

To learn more visit: https://www.boisestate.edu/caes/2021/09/01/caes-to-offer-undergraduate-research-opportunitiesin-advanced-manufacturing/

CAES ANNUAL REPORT FFY21 | 10

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Capstone Course/Senior Design Grant Program Award Boise State’s Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) established a Capstone Course/Senior Design Grant Program. Aligned with the vision and mission of CAES, this grant program provides up to $2,000 for capstone projects that overlap with any of the CAES focus areas highlighted in the figure below. The goal of this grant program is to promote and support energy-environmental-sustainability research opportunities for student teams as part of their capstone course requirements.

CAES strategic pillars – research, education, and innovation – in support of seven focus areas: Nuclear, Energy, Energy Water Nexus, Cybersecurity, Advanced manufacturing, Innovative Energy systems, Energy Policy, Computer or Data Visualization.

Capstone Awardees and projects included:

• CaloWatt (Sustainability and Energy Efficiency) awardedto Courtney Hollar and Amy Moll, Engineering Plus • Recycling Single Use Plastics into 3D Printer Filament awarded to Amy Moll, Harold Ackler and Scott Phillips, Materials Science and Engineering

• Magnetostrictive Energy Harvesters for Structural Vibrations awarded to Zhangxian Deng, Mechanical Engineering This program is ongoing. We encourage Capstone and Senior Design course instructors as well as Boise State faculty to apply in support of funding a CAES focus area-related project.

CAES Awards Institute for Inclusive & Transformative Scholarship The Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) has awarded $10,000 to Donna Llewellyn, Executive Director, Institute for Inclusive & Transformative Scholarship (IFITS). The goal of this sponsorship is to promote collaboration and support energy-environmental-sustainability workforce development opportunities for students as part of their Vertically Integrated Projects experience.

Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) is a program, within the Institute for Inclusive and Transformative Scholarship, created to increase student access to hands-on learning with faculty mentors and diverse teams. Faculty working on long-term projects that need students from multiple disciplines and skill areas are invited to create a VIP course.

Students are then able to join their team and earn 1-2 credits in a semester at the 200, 400, or 500 level. Each VIP project is set up as a unique section of VIP 200 (lower division), VIP 400 (upper division), and VIP 500 (graduate).

To learn more visit: https://www.boisestate.edu/ifits/ 11 | CAES ANNUAL REPORT FFY21

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Student Safety Leaders Program The Center for Advanced Energy Studies has established and is funding a Student Led Laboratory Safety Leaders Program in collaboration with Boise State's Environmental Health, Safety and Sustainability (EHSS) Department.

The goal of this sponsorship is to ensure a consistent and strong safety culture by assisting appointed safety officers in promoting stablished best practices and safety procedures consistently throughout the ollege/campus. Student Safety Leaders must have graduate student standing at Boise State University and will report to the college safety officer on matters of safety compliance (under EHSS).

Students will earn supplemental pay in accordance with Graduate College policies.

Responsibilities of student safety officers include:

•

Assist with lab safety and industrial hygiene assessments

•

Assist with coordinating the ordering, receiving, and inventory of hazardous materials

•

Assist with hazardous waste processes

•

Assist with chemical inventory management and annual audits

• •

Maintain a real-time awareness of activities and procedures occurring in laboratories.

Work directly in laboratories on a daily basis, interfacing with students as they perform chemical operations or other activities that have identified risks

•

Interact and Provide safety analysis and support to student clubs and student projects, such as senior design projects and service-learning projects

•

Collaborate with other students to resolve safety evolving challenges from the student perspective

• •

Be the leading edge in developing student-led safety initiatives Work with researchers and faculty to find new ways or best practices and develop new/better Standard Operating Procedures

•

Assist with maintaining current safety signage throughout the college

For more information, contact Jon Scaggs at jonathanscaggs@boisestate.edu

CAES ANNUAL REPORT FFY21 | 12

INNOVATION AND RESEARCH

Boise State’s 2021 Research Awards Reach All-Time High, Despite Pandemic Despite the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, Boise State University broke records for 2021 research and sponsored project awards and expenditures.

In 2021, Boise State received 425 research and sponsored project awards, totaling more than $65 million, an increase of 13% from last year’s award dollars and 58% in the past five years. Additionally, Boise State research expenditures reached new heights at $55.7 million, rising 16% from 2020 and 59% from five years ago.

Research and sponsored project awards help provide Boise State students a comprehensive experience, with opportunities to grow and excel outside of the classroom. Students engaged in hands-on research projects obtain workforce-relevant professional experiences, as well as opportunities to work alongside and learn from award-winning faculty, to ask questions that might not arise in the classroom, and to become contributors to their fields of study.

Simultaneously, interactions with students in the research process enhance a faculty member’s teaching and inspire cutting-edge coursework content.

“Our faculty, staff, and students are outstanding – and their activities in research and creative activity, beyond just the numbers, are yet more examples of their dedication to excellence,” said interim Vice President for Research and Economic Development, Nancy Glenn. “Conducting research and creative activities is critical to ensuring top-tier education and life-long experiences for Boise State students, and to bolstering the State of Idaho in every sector. These research and sponsored project investments by federal, state and local business institutions indicate confidence in Boise State’s talent and mission, and bear witness to our university’s dedication to the advancement of education, knowledge and the well-being of our community and state.”

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INNOVATION AND RESEARCH

Engineering Faculty Awarded Funding to Enable Next Gen Solar Power, Thermal Energy Storage Methods Boise State associate professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering Todd Otanicar and assistant professor of electrical engineering Nirmala Kandadai, were

selected by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office for 2020 (SETO 2020) funding. The team was awarded $260,000 for a year in order to investigate a novel method to increase the thermal conductivity in heat exchangers, and hopefully improve the performance of concentrating solar power (CSP) plants.

According to the Solar Energy Technologies Office website, the Solar Energy Technologies Office Small Innovative Projects in Solar (SIPS) funds research projects that advance early-stage solar technologies to reduce the cost of solar, increase U.S. competitiveness in manufacturing, improve grid reliability, and tackle emerging challenges in the solar industry.

TODD OTANICAR

“Our hopes for this research are two-fold,” said Otanicar. “First, is to enable a significant increase in particle heat transfer properties that enables the next generation of concentrating solar power and thermal energy storage. Second, the development of

a new technique to measure near wall heat transfer.”

To improve the performance of CSP, Otanicar and Kandadai are breaking away from the industry norm of using fluids such as molten salts in the heat exchangers in order to discover if solid particles of two different sizes in packed beds can be even more effective. Fluids are not ideal mediums because they are susceptible to freezing, and can also be costly. The team however intends to use cost-effective particles commonly used in fracking.

NIRMALA KANDADAI

To learn more visit: https:/www.boisestate.edu/coen-mbe/2020/11/30/engineering-facultyawarded-funding-to-enable-next-gen-solar-power-thermal-energy-storagemethods//

CAES ANNUAL REPORT FFY21 | 14

INNOVATION AND RESEARCH

Boise State Researchers Preparing to Monitor Structural Health of Inflatable Space Habitats A team from Boise State University and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has developed an approach to monitor the structural health of future inflatable space habitats. Their work was reported in a paper recently published in Nature Partner Journal

Flexible Electronics, “Aerosol jet printed capacitive strain gauge for soft structural materials”, and was also recently awarded a U.S. patent (#10512162B2). Led by professor Dave Estrada of the Boise State College of Engineering, the team demonstrates that low-cost and flexible capacitance based strain gauges can be fabricated with an additive manufacturing technique known as aerosol jet printing (AJP), and outperform commercially available resistance based strain gauges.

The project started as part of NASA Johnson Space Center’s Collaboration for Leveraging Universities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Research (CLUSTER) program. As part of a Team Based Learning Project in

professor Estrada’s Nanoscale Transport course, students were paired with a NASA engineer to identify solutions to real engineering problems faced by the nation’s space program.

Working with NASA Johnson Space Center’s Doug Litteken, the team identified challenges associated with designing structural health monitoring (SHM) systems for inflatable habitat textiles. Litteken’s team had found that resistive strain gauges could not meet the high demands of flexibility, durability, response time, recovery time and sensitivity to strain. Additionally, limitations to developing and deploying this technology are introduced with high-cost of production and complex fabrication processes. The team settled on investigating printed capacitive strain gauges as an alternative technology, and their preliminary data resulted in a two-year contract to further develop the technology.

“This project is an excellent example of how the research and education missions of the university are tightly

coupled,“ said Estrada, “What started as an eight-week project in the classroom has resulted in a journal publication, an awarded patent, and continued research funding from two federal agencies. I’m excited about the next steps in the project being led by prof. Ben Johnson in Electrical Engineering, whose team is integrating wireless communications with our sensor. This will be a critical component to realizing a fully automated SHM system, which could have impacts that are out of this world.”

To learn more visit: https://www.boisestate.edu/news/2021/01/05/boise-state-researchers-preparing-tomonitor-structural-health-of-inflatable-space-habitats

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INNOVATION AND RESEARCH

MaCS Awarded 8 Rapid Turnaround Experiment Proposals by Department of Energy Nuclear Science User Facilities The U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has selected 29 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling approximately $1.14M. These project awards went to 13 principal investigators from universities, nine from national

laboratories, four from industry, and three foreign universities. The Microscopy and Characterization Suite at the Center for Advanced Energy Studies headquarters is the NSUF facility site for 8 of these RTEs. The NSUF competitively selected these projects from a pool of high-quality RTE proposals submitted during the solicitation period. Each proposal was evaluated based on a variety of factors including technical approach, mission relevance, and scientific-technical merit.

The NSUF, managed by Idaho National Laboratory (INL), provides unparalleled opportunities for nuclear energy researchers. The NSUF’s capabilities encompass irradiation, post-irradiation examination, beamline, and highperformance computing equipment and expertise necessary to advance the understanding of irradiation effects in

nuclear fuels and materials in support of DOE-NE’s mission.

The eight awardees and their research projects are: • Benjamin Dacus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Microstructural Evolution in Model & Real RPV steel due toThermal Aging and Low-Dose Irradiation using Atom ProbeTomography, CAES and MaCS • Cody Dennett, Idaho National Laboratory, Defect generation and phase stability in single crystal mixed uraniumthorium actinide oxides, CAES and MaCS and University of Michigan - Michigan Ion Beam Laboratory (MIBL) • Donna Guillen, Idaho National Laboratory, Microstructural Examination of Irradiation Effects on Metal Matrix Composite Neutron Absorber, CAES and MaCS • Francis Garner, Texas A&M University, The effects of stress on void superlattice formation duringCr+ self-ionirradiation of chromium, CAES and MaCS and Texas A&M University - Accelerator Laboratory

• Pengyuan Xiu, University of Michigan, The sink strength and radiation parameter effects on microchemical evolution in dual-ion irradiated additively manufactured and wrought HT9, CAES and MaCS • Przemyslaw Klups, University of Oxford, Comparison of Solute Cluster Formation and Evolution in NeutronIrradiated ATR-2 to Thermally-Aged Low-Alloy Steels, CAES and MaCS • Rajiv Mishra, University of NorthTexas, Ion Irradiation and Examination of Additive Friction Stir Manufactured 316 Stainless Steel Component, CAES and MaCS and Texas A&M University - Accelerator Laboratory • Somayeh Pasebani, Oregon State University, Ion Irradiation and examination of 304 Stainless Steel and 304 ODS Steel Additively Manufactured via Selective Laser Melting, CAES and MaCS and Texas A&MUniversity Accelerator Laboratory

CAES ANNUAL REPORT FFY21 | 16

BY THE NUMBERS

CAES BY THE NUMBERS

$15,945,992 TOTAL FUNDING

143 EXTRAMURAL AWARDS

AWARDS BY COLLEGE/DEPARTMENT/SCHOOL 12,000,000 10,000,000 8,000,000 6,000,000 4,000,000 2,000,000

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99 PUBLICATIONS

BY THE NUMBERS

AWARDS BY SPONSOR College/University — 1% Federal — 37% Federal Flow-Through — 47% Non-Profit Organization — 1% Private for Profit — 1% State of Idaho Entity — 13%

AWARDS BREAKDOWN Air Force Office of Scientific Research/AIR FORCE/DOD — 3% Bureau of Reclamation/US Department of the Interior — 1% National Science Foundation — 17% National Security Agency — 2% US Department of Agriculture — 4% US Department of Defense — <1% US Department of Energy — 18%

Federal Flow–Through — 40% Non-Profit Organization — 3% Private for Profit — 1% State of Idaho Entity — 11%

70 NUMBER OF CAES AFFILIATE FACULTY AND STAFF

CAES ANNUAL REPORT FFY21 | 18

INNOVATION AND RESEARCH

Alum Wins IGEM Award to Collaborate with INFlex Labs, LLC and Advance Nano Ink Industry Tony Valayil Varghese, a Boise State alum of the Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering, is determined to advance the potential of nanomaterial inks for printed and flexible hybrid electronics with the support of an IGEM Commerce grant of more than $196,000. Through this grant, Boise State research scientist Varghese will be able to

develop these inks and commercialize them in collaboration with INFlex Labs, LLC., owned and operated by Boise State University associate professor Dave Estrada and associate professor Harish Subbaraman.

Nanomaterial inks are composed of nanoparticles, or

ESTRADA, VARGHESE & SUBBARAMAN

particles measuring one billionth of a meter, and can be used in additive manufacturing (3D printing)

applications. For this research, the group is working to develop, characterize, tune and ultimately commercialize inks made of such elements and materials as platinum, gold, nickel and graphene.

The goal is to develop nanomaterial inks that can be used with many different kinds of printers, and for a broad array of applications, such as the creation of sensors, wearable technology, flexible electronics, and more. For example, the platinum nanomaterial inks being developed by Varghese and INFlex Labs, LLC could have a serious impact on implantable medical devices needed to save lives.

“We developed and currently market platinum nanoinks, which are used in many implantable devices because of platinum’s biocompatibility, high electrical conductivity, radiopacity and inert nature within the body,” explained Varghese. “Platinum is currently used in many medical devices such as pacemakers, stents, catheters and neuro modulators. Printability of these nanomaterial creates opportunities for developing lightweight, flexible, advanced sensors and electronic components that are compatible with body and can be implanted on to vital organs for continuous monitoring and control.”

To learn more visit: https://www.boisestate.edu/news/2021/08/11/alum-wins-igem-award-to-collaborate-with-inflexlabs-llc-and-advance-nano-ink-industry/

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INNOVATION AND RESEARCH

Boise State Post-Doc Receives Award to Conduct Research at Air Force Research Laboratory Twinkle Pandhi, a research post doc in the Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering at Boise State, received a National Research Council Research Associateship award to conduct research at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Wright-Patterson AFB, OH alongside Air Force Research Laboratory advisor, Dr. Emily Heckman.

With this associateship, Pandhi will work alongside Heckman on printed and flexible radiation sensors for enhancement of space exploration and nuclear application, with the goal of developing “next generation radiation detection systems that help warfighters mitigate emerging threats to our national security.”

“Our research uses novel 2D materials to create and encapsulate technology so they survive in space or extreme environments,” explained Pandhi. “These materials

TWINKLE PANDHI

enclosed in a heterogeneous platform allow us to develop radiation tolerant sensor Systems that provide conformability and performance. These devices are highly desired for portable and wearable applications and their ability to embed on non-planar surfaces, such as for US Space Force early warning satellites and drones.”

To learn more visit: https://www.boisestate.edu/news/2021/07/13/boise-state-alum-receives-award-to-conductresearch-at-air-force-research-laboratory/0

Winners Announced in CAES Annual Pitch Competition Naqsh Mansoor, a Boise State graduate student in Materials Science and Engineering, was announced as runner up winner September 23, 2021, in the demonstration projects track of the Center for Advanced Energy Studies’ annual pitch event.

Modeled after the “Shark Tank” television show, CAES Annual Pitch Event 2021: Pathways to INL Net Zero was designed to help the research community at INL’s Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) develop and hone the skills needed to effectively pitch technical ideas or solutions, and to help INL accelerate its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2031.

Mansoor was awarded $13,000 for her project “Energy Efficient Water Remediation via Flow Electrode Capacitive Deionization”.

NAQSH MANSOOR To learn more visit: https://caes.org/caes-announces-winners-of-caes-annual-pitch-event-2021-pathways-to-inl-net-zero/

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INNOVATION AND RESEARCH National 2D Materials Research Center Wins Funding: Boise State Joins Penn State, and Rice University Boise State joins Penn State and Rice University as participating universities in the Center for Atomically Thin Multifunctional Coatings.

A national research center that brings together university, industry and government partners to develop atom-thin 2D coatings with wide-ranging industrial applications is expanding thanks to a

grant from the National Science Foundation.

The Center for Atomically Thin Multifunctional Coatings (ATOMIC) is one of more than 70 Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) established by NSF to encourage scientific collaboration between academia and industry. ATOMIC, which launched in 2015, has 13 industry partners and five government partners and is the only NSF center dedicated to the development of advanced 2D coatings.

Operated by Penn State University’s Materials Research Institute in partnership with Rice University, ATOMIC has won $1.5 million in Phase II funding that will allow it to add both a new academic partner, Boise State University, and new industry partners. ATOMIC currently has 13 industry partners and five government partners.

“This NSF I/UCRC is the first NSF-funded center at Boise State University and the first engineering-related I/UCRC in the state of Idaho,” said Dave Estrada, Boise State’s Associate Director for the Center for Advanced Energy Studies and ATOMIC Center site director. “This center will provide a great vehicle for regional, national industry and government partners to work with ATOMIC-affiliated faculty and students to leverage the unique properties of atomically thin materials for a variety of applications such as electronic devices, coatings for extreme environments and energy storage. The partnerships with Penn State University and Rice University highlight Boise State’s growing expertise in two-dimensional materials and additive electronics manufacturing, which will provide new opportunities for multi-institutional collaborations across the ATOMIC Center, leading to new discoveries and access to intellectual property for the ATOMIC Center members.”

Boise State’s facilities will leverage nanomaterial ink synthesis and characterization tools and a suite of materials printers located in the Micron Center for Materials Research in Boise and the Center for Advanced Energy Studies in Idaho Falls.

Recent investments from the Murdock Charitable Trust will also provide ATOMIC faculty and students access to advanced scanning probe techniques to image 2D materials’ chemical, optical and thermal properties with nanoscale precision.

To learn more visit: https://www.boisestate.edu/news/2021/08/18/national-2d-materials-research-center-wins-nsffunding-boise-state-joins-penn-state-rice-for-phase-ii-expansion-of-atomic-center/

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INNOVATION AND RESEARCH

Engineering Researchers Lead Advancement of Alternative Nuclear Waste Storage Nuclear power plants account for 20% of the country’s electricity production and have helped cut down on the reliance of fossil fuels.

At the heart, or core, of a nuclear reactor are the fuel rods, which is where nuclear fission occurs. Most fuel rods, however, are only in a reactor for a total of six years, with a third being replaced every two years, resulting in a continuously growing stockpile of used

fuel.

nuclear Used fuel rods are typically placed in deep pools of water for 10 to 20 years before they have cooled enough to be safely dried and transported to long term storage. Due to limited pool capacity in the US, as well as the continuous delays in building a long-term repository, there is a growing need to safely

ALLYSSA BATEMAN, KAELEE NOVICH, and SAMUEL PEDERSON

store the nation’s nuclear waste.

Hoping to tackle this problem, assistant professor Brian Jaques of the Boise State Advanced Materials Laboratory, and materials science and engineering doctoral students Kaelee Novich and Samuel Pederson collaborated with assistant professor R.A. Borrelli and Richard Christensen of the Nuclear Engineering Department at the University of Idaho, and a Japanese vacuum casting company, Sakae Casting Co. “The ability to innovate in the way in which we currently store used nuclear fuel is paramount to the expansion and use of nuclear energy in our country. The technology that was developed through our collaboration with the University of Idaho and Sakae Casting combines materials science and heat transfer with nuclear physics and processing prowess.

The solution to inherently safe, long term and robust fuel storage is at our finger-tips,” said Jaques.

Boise State, with the help of Sakae Casting, focused primarily on optimizing the homogeneous dispersion of boron carbide particles during the sand casting of aluminum.

To learn more visit: https://www.boisestate.edu/news/2021/02/18/engineering-researchers-lead-advancement-ofalternative-nuclear-waste-storage/

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INNOVATION AND RESEARCH Electrical Engineering Team Receives Grant to Create Novel Nanomaterial Coatings for Optical Fibers Nirmala Kandadai, an assistant Professor in Electrical Engineering at Boise State received an IGEM Commerce grant of $130,000 to support her research of nanoparticle coatings for optical fibers, in collaboration with associate professor Harish Subbaraman, and director of advanced technologies Devinder Saini of Fiberguide Industries, a Molex company. “Silica (glass)-based optical fibers are used in the telecom industry for

sending data over a long distance; the entire internet revolution from hi-speed internet to wide accessibility has been made accessible using optical fiber. They are also used as temperature/pressure/stress sensors across a wide range of applications from civil engineering structures to submarines,” Kandadai said.

NIRMALA KANDADAI To learn more visit: https://www.boisestate.edu/news/2021/09/10/electrical-engineering-team-receives-grant-tocreate-novel-nanomaterial-coatings-for-optical-fibers/

Energy Policy Institute 10th Annual Conference On October 14th and 15th, The 10th Annual Energy Policy Conference was hosted virtually by the Boise State CAES Energy Policy Institute. This premier event is one of the longest-running energy conference series that focuses on policy. This year’s event drew over 200 attendees from as far away as Japan, Germany, and Brazil.

Keynote speakers included Abigail Ross Hopper, the President and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries

Association; John Wagner, Director of the Idaho National Laboratory; William Magwood, Director General of the Nuclear Energy Agency, John Wellinghoff, Former Chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and Jennifer Fordham, a distinguished energy market strategist.

The theme for this year was Disruptions and Megatrends. Understanding how these relate to energy is critical to energy policy going forward. Topics on opportunities for power resilience, future of electric vehicles, addressing decarbonization, regulation intricacies within the U.S., COVID-19 impact on energy, and renewable energy transitions are some of the research and roundtable discussions that took place during this amazing two-day event.

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RECOGNITION Noël Bakhtian Selected Professor of the Practice Boise State’s College of Engineering and the School of Public Service have selected Noël Bakhtian as a Professor of the Practice for 2020-2023. The Professor of the Practice position at Boise State brings successful, celebrated and highly distinguished practitioners in their field to students and the university community.

Bakhtian is currently the executive director of the Energy Storage Center at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and brings years of experience in energy research and policy to university students.

“Dr. Bakhtian brings a wealth of experience in the energy field to her position at Boise State University. Her expertise will be a valuable asset in supporting our faculty, staff and students in advancing Boise State’s impact in energy research and

NOEL BAKHATIAN

policy, aligned to national needs. Her joint appointment with our School of Public Service and College of Engineering reflects the valuable contributions she will make

to our community in energy policy and fundamental research,” said David Estrada, associate director of the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) and associate professor in the department of material science and engineering.

Most recently, Bakhtian served on the senior leadership team at Idaho National Laboratory as director of CAES. Bakhtian also previously served as a senior policy adviser for environment and energy in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Prior to OSTP, she served as the inaugural Energy-Water Nexus lead at the DOE Office of International Affairs, worked as technical lead on numerous innovative grant programs for DOE’s Wind and Water Power Technologies Office, consulted on energy research energy and development and investment for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and served as an energy and environment Fellow in the U.S. Senate.

Bakhtian earned her engineering doctorate at Stanford University’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics; holds master’s degrees from Stanford University and the University of Cambridge, where she was a Churchill Scholar; and completed her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and physics at Duke University.

She serves as a member of the National Academies Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy; and as a board member for the Institute for the Quantitative Study of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity.

CAES ANNUAL REPORT FFY21 | 24

RECOGNITION

CAES Associate Director, Boise State Faculty Member Tapped for INL Joint Appointment David Estrada has been named Idaho National Laboratory’s Advanced Manufacturing Deputy Director for Academic Research. A faculty member in the Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering at Boise State University since 2013, Dr. Estrada’s new role calls for him to support and strengthen the Advanced Design and Manufacturing (ADM) initiative at INL and support multi-mission collaboration across the five INL

directorates.

He will lead and cultivate the academic interactions and activities with the ADM initiative – enabling collaboration between industry and academia, and positioning INL at the forefront of the U.S. Department of Energy’s efforts to develop advanced reactor technology and strengthening the United States’ position as the global leader in nuclear energy technology.

DAVID ESTRADA

Estrada will continue as the Center for Advanced Energy Studies associate director for Boise State, a position he has held since May 2019.

Collaboration has been a hallmark of his tenure as CAES AD as he has amplified the university’s relationship with CAES and formalized the faculty and student-CAES community at Boise State through the creation of campus leads in each of the seven focus areas identified in the CAES Strategy. He championed the CAES Fellows initiative launched earlier this year and has helped lead Boise State students and faculty in a litany of accomplishments, including the award of three -Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) Infrastructure Awards and two Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) Fellowships.

Estrada’s leadership has been instrumental in the ongoing development of an advanced manufacturing suite at CAES, which will soon feature a new transmission electron microscope funded by INL and a 3D metal printer made possible by an NSUF-funded, Boise State-led project on which he is a collaborator. An additional benefit of the joint appointment is to provide a national recruiting tool for CAES entities to leverage when seeking to hire top talent to the region and enhance the advanced manufacturing workforce pipeline.

To learn more visit: https://www.boisestate.edu/news/2020/10/15/caes-associate-director-boise-statefaculty-member-tapped-for-inl-joint-appointment/

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RECOGNITION Subbaraman, Kandadai and Babinkostova Awarded Prestigious Air Force Summer Faculty Fellowships

HARISH SUBBARAMAN

NIRMALA KANDADAI

LILJANA BABINKOSTOVA

Boise State’s College of Engineering faculty Liljana Babinkostova, Nirmala Kandadai and Harish Subbaraman were recently honored with prestigious Air Force Summer Faculty Fellowships. During these 10 week fellowships, Kandadai and Subbaraman will be conducting research at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. Babinkostova will join the Research Laboratory on Quantum Computing Theory and Simulation.

According to the program website, “The U.S. Air Force Research Lab Summer Faculty Fellowship Program offers hands-on exposure to Air Force research challenges through 8- to 12-week research residencies at participating Air Force research facilities for full-time science, mathematics, and engineering faculty at U.S. colleges and universities.”

To learn more about the Top Ten Scholars, visit: https://afsffp.sysplus.com/SFFP/about/

CAES ANNUAL REPORT FFY21 | 26

RECOGNITION Professor Sin Ming Loo Awarded CAES Faculty of the Year Professor Sin Ming Loo of the Boise State Electrical and Computer Engineering Department has engaged multiple programs and facilitated collaborations through CAES, in particular with INL. As the CAES Cybersecurity Lead, and in part with seed funds from

CAES, he established new programs in cybersecurity that are accessible to students through Boise State's Extended Studies program. He is an advocate for cybersecurity education and research and strives to be inclusive in his efforts.

He continues his efforts with the Institute for Pervasive Cybersecurity and exemplifies the impact and potential of collaboration through CAES. CAES is honored to present Sin Ming with this award and wishes him the best of luck in his continued endeavors.

SIN MING LOO

AML Graduate Student Timothy Phero Awarded CAES Student of the Year Timothy Phero, a Boise State Materials Science and Engineering PhD student was awarded the Center for Advanced Energy Studies Student of the Year Award.

The nomination for this award states, “Tim is a very dedicated research who is very collaborative and thorough. He does a great job of mentoring his peers, including undergraduates, while continuously working to better himself in all aspects of research and education. He

has been awarded an INL graduate fellowship due to his work on the ASI program with INL and will start in Idaho Falls in the spring. In addition, Tim regularly volunteers his time at places like the Reuseum, hiking trail systems cleanup and maintenance. He is a founding member of the Nuclear Energy Club at Boise State, and even started the plastic recycling effort in the Micron Center for Materials Research.”

CAES is honored to present this award to Timothy and wishes him the best of luck in his INL graduate fellowship.

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DAVE ESTRADA & TIM PHERO

RECOGNITION Weltner Awarded Nuclear Energy University Program Fellowship First year Boise State Materials Science and Engineering doctoral student, Ariel Weltner, was awarded a Nuclear Energy University Program fellowship from U.S. Department of Energy. This fellowship provides Weltner with $52,000 a year for the next three years to help pay for graduate studies and research, as well as $5,000 toward a summer internship at a Department of Energy research facility.

This fellowship will support Weltner in her research developing flexible energy harvesters for nuclear applications. These energy harvesters could be used to power remote sensors which monitor conditions within nuclear reactors and nuclear waste storage facilities.

ARIEL WELTNER

To learn more, visit: https://www.boisestate.edu/news/2021/04/28/weltner-awardednuclear-energy-university-program-fellowship/

Two College of Engineering Researchers Receive Idaho National Lab Appointments Boise State College of Engineering researchers Kevin Vallejo and Corey Efaw received Russell L. Heath Distinguished Postdoctoral appointments from the Idaho National Laboratory. These appointments are awarded to outstanding early-career scientists and engineers with an interest in advancing the fields of nuclear energy, critical infrastructure protection, and clean energy deployment.

Efaw’s award-winning postdoctoral research proposal will enable him to take elements of his prior materials science research with Boise State professor Mike Hurley and branch into a new topic of study: lithium metal batteries.

Vallejo will take his graduate research experiences

COREY EFAW

to new levels. As a researcher in the Collaboratory for Epitaxy of Nanomaterials at Boise State, Vallejo

used a process called moleculary beam epitaxy to create atom-thick layers of elements and grow semiconductor crystals.

To learn more, visit: https://www.boisestate.edu/news/2021/10/20/two-college-ofengineering-researchers-receive-idaho-national-lab-appointments/

KEVIN VALLEJO

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NEW FACES

Harold Blackman Retires Interim Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Boise State, Harold Blackman, retired on June 25, 2021.

Blackman served at Boise State since 2012. Blackman will be followed in his role by new interim VPR, Nancy Glenn, who currently serves as the senior advisor of strategic initiatives and research advancement.

“Harold’s dedication to the betterment of this university, of Idaho and of our entire region through research and innovation has been inspirational,” said Marlene Tromp, Boise State president. “We will miss his extraordinary kindness, his generosity of spirit, and his talent for guiding the university’s research mission, whether it be through flourishing times or during challenging times. On behalf of the entire Boise State family, I wish him a happy and fulfilling retirement.”

HAROLD BLACKMAN

Blackman was responsible for the creation and building of the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES), a significant research collaboration

between Boise State University, University of Idaho, Idaho State University and INL.

Nancy Glenn Named Interim Vice President Nancy Glenn has been named the new Interim Vice President of Research and Economic Development at Boise State University. She is also a Professor in the Department of Geosciences within the College of Arts and Sciences.

Glenn is passionate about providing opportunities for Boise State’s community and partners to engage in the excitement of knowledge discovery and the research process. She is eager to grow research opportunities for students, faculty, and staff by collaborating with partners across divisions at Boise State and beyond campus. She brings a deep commitment to developing positive relationships, and an entrepreneurial approach to building research, and combining these to help others succeed.

NANCY GLENN

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NEW FACES Building CAES Infrastructure Chad Watson joins us as the new assistant director of Research and Program Development. Chad joins us from the College of Engineering, where he was providing research development and project management leadership and support for the college, the Nucleic Acid Memory Institute, and the Center for Advanced Energy Studies. He has been at Boise State since 2007 and has served in a variety of academic, research, and

administrative roles during that time.

In this new role, Chad will develop and lead research development initiatives within the Division of Research and Economic Development with a focus on advancing research and scholarly activity.

CHAD WATSON

Stephanie Moran joins us as the new Center for Advanced Energy Studies research administrator. Stephanie has been at Boise State for over 15 years and has worked in New Student Programs, Materials Science and Engineering, and most recently Criminal Justice. In her new role, Stephanie will be managing the BSU Battelle Energy Alliance projects, and financial management for the Microscopy and Characterization Suite (MaCS) in Idaho Falls.

STEPHANIE MORAN

Rachel joins the Center for Advanced Energy Studies as the new Administrative Assistant II. Rachel previously worked with Boise State University Health Services as a Customer Service and Billing Representative.

She helped oversee insurance and billing processes and assisted patients with scheduling, billing and cost of care inquiries. She received her Bachelor's of Science in Public Health and Health Education in May 2020 and is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Counseling here at BSU.

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NEW FACES Energy Policy Institute Hire Jake Placido joined the Boise State Energy Policy Institute team as their new Business Manager. He is a Boise native who enjoys all the classic Idaho activities. After completing his undergraduate studies at Boise State, he served in the United States Coast Guard. Following his service, he worked in the financial services sector and completed a Professional MBA with Boise State.

JACOB PLACIDO

MaCS Infrastructure The Microscopy and Characterization Suite at the Center for Advanced Energy Studies located on the campus of the Idaho national Laboratory in Idaho Falls, Idaho added three new employees. They are Dr. Sheng Cheng, Senior Research Associate; Dr. Yu Lu, Research Associate and Dr. Ching-Heng Shiau, Postdoctoral Scholar.

YU LU

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SHENG CHENG

CHING-HENG SHIAU

Institute for Pervasive Pervasive Cybersecurity Cy

Bringing the Problem Home – The Need for Pervasive Cybersecurity – Edward Vasko Imagine yourself in a brand-new car, one that’s connected to “secure cloud-based support service” where software updates are downloaded and activated for “an improved driving experience.” It’s summertime, one of the hottest days of the year, and you’re in the middle of a traffic jam. You’re relishing the wonderful air conditioning of this new vehicle and glad you’re not out in the heat of the day.

Suddenly, your car’s engine stops, along with the air conditioning, and your car doors lock and hazard lights come on. You try to restart the vehicle while other people in traffic honk or move around you. Over your radio, a robotic voice suddenly squelches out, “Hello driver. We hope you’re enjoying your new car. By the way, we have taken control of your vehicle and demand you pay us a ransom to re-engage the vehicle so you can get to your destination. On the screen in front of you is a website for you to put your cryptocurrency information. Once you do, we will gladly re-engage your vehicle’s systems. As part of this demand, do not contact law enforcement or else we will completely shut down your vehicle’s operating system, rendering it a multi-ton brick of metal on the road. You have 30 minutes to pay us or we will shut down your vehicle.

Have a great day….”

This scenario, as scary and impactful as it may sound, is a near-term future quickly approaching. Already, cyber adversaries exploit business weaknesses to create ransomware events that cost the US businesses $20.9B in 2020 alone, with 2021 numbers already exceeding that by the 3rd quarter. Boise State’s President, Dr. Marlene Tromp, succinctly summed up the problem, “From healthcare, to the economy, to local and federal government, to the individual holding a cell phone, there is no facet of our world and our lives that isn’t impacted by cybersecurity.” That is why Boise State is leading the State of Idaho through its creation of the Institute for Pervasive Cybersecurity (IPC).

Creating an Institute The IPC was blueprinted in 2019, and established in 2020 through the approval of the Idaho State Board of Education (SBOE). In creating the IPC, Boise State recognized that traditional approaches would prove limiting, so the call went out for an industry-facing leader to join Boise State in launching and running the IPC. The person brought in to lead this new institute is Edward Vasko. As the IPC Director, Edward comes to Boise State with over 30-years in the cybersecurity industry experience. During his career, he also led five cybersecurity companies. His work with industry and government provides a unique set of experiences to bolster Boise State’s focused faculty research and expertise in critical cyber problems facing cryptography, networking, software development, ledger systems (aka blockchain), attack chain analysis, machine learning, and critical infrastructure security (aka Operational Technology, or “OT”).

Within a few short months, the IPC, its industry partners, and affiliated faculty worked diligently to enable Boise State as Idaho’s leading university for innovative cybersecurity research, curriculum advancement, and workforce development. The IPC facilitates strategic partnerships with industry, higher education, business and government to improve cybersecurity for Idaho and the nation. The IPC also works to commercialize ground-breaking research and tools, and educate graduates to become the changemakers and forward-thinkers of the 21st century.

Pulling upon the pervasive aspect of its name, the IPC engages faculty experts from nearly every discipline across Boise State to produce holistic solutions and research that serves the needs of a diverse and complex society. Dr. Marlene Tromp has said of the institute, “The Institute for Pervasive Cybersecurity serves as a premier driver for Idaho and regional cybersecurity by investing in transformative research,

CAES ANNUAL REPORT FFY21 | 32

Institute for Pervasive Cybersecurity creating a career pipeline for students, and engaging with partners both locally and nationally.”

Cybersecurity is never simply a matter of hardware or software. The field is intrinsically complex, and the IPC, its industry partners, and affiliated faculty are currently developing numerous areas of research emphasis and workforce development to advance cybersecurity for Idaho, the region, and the nation. Embedded in these efforts is a cross-discipline approach that builds our students’ knowledge and skills so they can confidently, and competently, enter the workforce ready to help.

commercial products to detect, and respond to cyber adversaries attacking our critical data and infrastructure,” said Edward Vasko, director of the IPC, and principal investigator on the grant.

The goal of the Cyberdome is to cooperatively secure client community assets by engaging the best and brightest within the industry across the state, including cybersecurity leaders at the Idaho National LaboratoryNL, the State of Idaho, Idaho’s universities and colleges, and private industry. The platform is built to allow rural and underserved students to engage and collaborate with other students throughout the state. Students gain valuable cybersecurity knowledge to start their careers, their communities are protected against cyber criminals and other adversaries, and the state’s made more secure as a result.

New Degrees to Meet Industry Needs Responding to industry workforce needs from across the state, region, and nation, the IPC worked with affiliated faculty in the College of Engineering (COEN) on innovative undergraduate and graduate curriculum for students. The curriculum received unanimous approval from the SBOE and has launched new online programs focused on Cyber Operations and Resilience (CORe). The program, launched in fall 2021, is one of the fastest growing programs in Boise State history. These programs are a collaboration between COEN, the Boise State Online campus team, and the IPC.

EDWARD VASKO

The Cyberdome The first major competency development platform the IPC created is the Cyberdome. In the summer of 2021, Idaho’s Global Entrepreneurial Mission’s Higher Education Research Council (IGEM-HERC) awarded $700,000 per year (with the opportunity to renew for three years for a total of $2.1 million) to the IPC to establish the Cyberdome.

The new programs include a Bachelor of Science (uCORe), a Master of Science (gCORe) and three graduate certificates. The certificates provide focused knowledge development in Analysis and Threat Intelligence, Resilience Engineering, and Governance Policy Administration (arriving in 2022).

Leveraging prior work completed to build a cyber operations certificate, the CORe programs were designed with collaborative input from faculty at Idaho State University, engineers and researchers at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and members of the local Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) chapter.

The Cyberdome is a platform providing three key benefits to the state and its citizens. First, it creates a cybersecurity ready workforce that elevates Idaho as a leader across the nation. Second, it creates a platform that reduces the risk to the state and its citizens. Third, it creates techniques, tools, and product commercialization opportunities that produce long-term economic value.

The CORe programs go beyond classroom theory to teach students to anticipate, detect and mitigate cyber and physical infrastructure threats by combining curriculum with practical application. In a digital environment where cyberattacks are a constant threat, students from these programs fill an immediate need in the workforce as there were over 450,000 cyber roles going unfilled as of December 2021.

“The Cyberdome is unique to our needs because it not only reduces the risk to the state and its citizens but also enables a cybersecurity activated workforce that will make Idaho a leader across the nation. Further, the Cyberdome enables our faculty to create and extend new techniques, tools, and

Further benefitting the CORe program is the fully online, asynchronous learning opportunity students can leverage.

This first of its kind in Idaho, the program presents a unique emphasis on theory combined with application to create an industry-ready workforce.

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Institute for Pervasive Pervasive Cybersecurity Cy

There are misconceptions that cyber programs are about calculus, computer science or engineering,” said IPC Affiliated Faculty and Cyber Operations and Resilience program director Dr. Sin Ming Loo. “While they are important, that mindset concentrates only on technology rather than system interactions. To help build a safer world, CORe aims to create an understanding of the interactions between people, process and technology.”

SIN MING LOO Further, the CORe programs are led by instructors with industry experience, preparing students to join the workforce from day-one after graduation. The addition of the online CORe programs expands the boundaries of higher education and opens doors to increased career opportunities. “These new programs in cyber operations and resilience place Boise State at the forefront of

innovative cyber workforce training opportunities,” said Edward Vasko, director of the IPC. “The programs being fully online allow a level of accessibility and inclusivity that empowers the 21st-century learner. The fantastic faculty we have gathered will enable industry-focused content to provide a ‘beyond the book’ level of knowledge to students.”

Ultimately, the research efforts of Boise State’s fantastic faculty, along with skill development platforms and industry partnerships provided by the IPC, combine to enable applied research, and competent workforce development for our industry partners. Our goal is to ensure that the scenario described at the beginning of this Spotlight, never happens and that our cyber adversaries realize that Idaho is not open to attack.

Further, the CORe programs are led by instructors with industry experience, preparing students to join the workforce from day-one after graduation. The addition of the online CORe programs expands the boundaries of higher education and opens doors to increased career opportunities. “These new programs in cyber operations and resilience place Boise State at the forefront of innovative cyber workforce training opportunities,” said Edward Vasko, director of the IPC. “The programs being fully online allow a level of accessibility and inclusivity that empowers the 21st-century learner. The fantastic faculty we have gathered will enable industry-focused content to provide a ‘beyond the book’ level of knowledge to students.”

Ultimately, the research efforts of Boise State’s fantastic faculty, along with skill development platforms and industry partnerships provided by the IPC, combine to enable applied research, and competent workforce development for our industry partners. Our goal is to ensure that the scenario described at the beginning of this Spotlight, never happens and that our cyber adversaries realize that Idaho is not open to attack.

To learn more, visit: https://www.boisestate.edu/cybersecurity/

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Plug Into CAES The Center forAdvanced Energy Studies is a research, education, and innovation consortium that brings together students and faculty from the public research universities in Idaho, along with Idaho National Laboratory re- searchers to conduct cutting-edge energy research, educate the next generation of scientists and col- laborate with industry to advance competitiveness. Visit the

CAES Energy website.

How Can You Plug Into CAES?

For information about these and other programs, contact:

David Estrada, Boise State University David Rodgers, Idaho State University John Russell, University of Idaho

University Faculty & INL Researchers • CAES Summer Visiting Faculty Program • CAES Fellows • Roundtables • Seed Grants (ISU) • JointAppointment

Students

Public

• Internships

• Director’s Colloquim

• INL Graduate Fellowships

• CAES Currents

• My Amazing Future (K-12)

• CAES Tours

• REU Program (summer 2022)

• Energy Policy Institute (EPI)