News & Updates

We're pleased to share that our graduate-level study abroad program in Taiwan, focused on marine energy technologies, has successfully concluded. The program was integrated with NAVARCH 540 – Marine Dynamics III and provided a rich academic and cultural experience.

Through collaborations with National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU) and National Taiwan University (NTU), students participated in immersive fieldwork and research. They accessed NTOU’s offshore wave energy converter site near Keelung and engaged with NTU’s cutting-edge TaidaFloat floating wind platform project.

The program achieved its goal of giving students firsthand exposure to advanced marine energy systems, while also fostering international academic partnerships. We are proud of the insights gained and the connections built through this initiative.

🔗 Detailed program schedule: NA540 Taiwan Field Trip

🔗 Learn more about the program: Faculty and Student Perspective: New Study Abroad Program in Taiwan | Global Michigan

We're excited to share that the University of Michigan has established the Center for Growing Ocean Energy Technologies and the Blue Economy (GO BLUE), backed by the National Science Foundation's Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC) program. This collaborative initiative, involving Stevens Institute of Technology and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, aims to accelerate innovation in marine energy and foster the development of the blue economy.

Key objectives of the GO BLUE Center include:

• Advancing marine energy technologies such as wave, tidal, and offshore wind power.

• Bridging gaps between academia, industry, and government to address climate change and clean energy needs.

• Promoting interdisciplinary research and cross-sector partnerships to overcome technological, societal, economic, and environmental challenges.

• Supporting workforce development and economic growth in coastal communities.

We're thrilled to share that the University of Michigan has been awarded $5 million in new funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to enhance testing and development of wave energy and offshore wind technologies.

The grants support four innovative projects led by Prof. Lei Zuo, including:

• Shock-absorbing mooring systems that extend device durability and power onboard sensors.

• Noise-mitigation solutions like balloon curtains and seabed pole arrays to protect marine life from offshore turbine noise.

• Hardware-in-the-loop platforms enabling lab-scale testing of ocean-sized wave energy devices.

• A standardized testing framework and open-access database for power takeoff systems.