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Energy Innovation Center approved, NextGen MURR working group formed by UM Curators
The University of Missouri Board of Curators is celebrating a couple votes it took Thursday for projects at the Columbia campus.
The first established an Energy Innovation Center and the other created a working group as the NextGen MURR develops.
The Energy Innovation Center will research new methods of energy production. Engineering, physics, computer science, chemistry and biochemistry researchers will advance energy production, storage and distribution efforts, the university said in a news release.
"We are excited about advancing our mission in energy innovation and discovery. Research relating to energy creation, distribution and performance is critically important," said Todd Graves, curators board chair. "This new facility will be built to promote multidisciplinary collaboration and attract the brightest minds tackling the world's toughest energy challenges."
A solution the center could find is one to lessening the power consumption impact needed by artificial intelligence and data centers, the university noted.
The Energy Innovation Center is a partnership between the College of Engineering, the College of Arts and Science, and College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), with contributions from the School of Law, the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business and the Missouri School of Journalism.
More: MU alum, former Ameren employee to direct NextGen MU Research Reactor construction
The NextGen MURR is a new research reactor in addition to the current MURR, which creates radioisotopes used in cancer research and treatment the world over. The working group made up of board of curators members, Mizzou staff, a federal regulator and corporate leaders is the advisory board for all phases of the NextGen project. It is headed up by Blaine Luetkemeyer as board chair, who also is on the board of curators.
A special session of the Missouri General Assembly allocated $50 million toward the project, after it had been removed during the regular session state budgeting process.
Mizzou entered partnerships in April with South Korean groups on design and licensing of the NextGen MURR.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: How UM Curators votes will impact future campus projects
