News Release

Solar Power: Jacobs School Solar Research Highlighted on KPBS Radio

Ed Yu, profesor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is one of several Jacobs School faculty working on leading edge solar technology solutions.

San Diego, CA, October 17, 2008 -- As UC San Diego continues its quest to become one of the nation’s greenest universities, researchers at the Jacobs School of Engineering are doing their part to create sustainable solutions, from solar technologies to wireless weather stations and energy efficient chips for computing.

Ed Yu, an electrical and computer engineering professor, recently spoke about the Jacobs School’s extensive solar power research during a KPBS Radio These Days program. Yu, also associate director of UC San Diego’s Center for Energy Research, was one of three guests on the show representing UC San Diego. Gary Matthews, vice chancellor of Resource Management & Planning, talked about UC San Diego’s sustainability initiative and how the university plays a key role in not only creating and promoting the use of energy efficient technologies but also in grooming the next generation of “green” collar workers. Erika Kociolek, an international affairs undergrad at UC San Diego, spoke about the various sustainability projects she is involved in on campus, including the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification of two buildings. Kociolek, who has worked with Jacobs School engineering students on “green’ projects, also pointed out that more and more students in a variety of disciplines are leaning toward future careers related to sustainability.

Another guest on the KPBS Radio show was Brian von Moos, business development director of Borrego Solar Systems, Inc., an El Cajon-based company that is installing many of the photovoltaics on the UC San Diego campus. Von Moos stressed the importance of universities like UC San Diego preparing “green’ workers for growing clean tech companies such as Borrego Solar. He also touched on improved tax incentives for residents and companies alike who want to go solar, as well as advancements in solar technologies.

To listen to the live broadcast of the Oct. 13 KPBS Radio show, please click here.

Media Contacts

Andrea Siedsma
Jacobs School of Engineering
858-822-0899
asiedsma@soe.ucsd.edu