The recently opened Energetics Technology Center in Southern Maryland will engage in research and development of energetics systems and related technologies, as well as in workforce development. The Center is a spin-off of the Clark School's Center for Energetic Concepts Development in collaboration with the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Indian Head, the College of Southern Maryland, and Charles County Government.

This fall, 20 second-year students at Prince George's Community College (PGCC) became the inaugural class of the new Hillman Entrepreneurs Program, which will provide the entrepreneurial education and experience they need to turn great ideas into successful ventures. Through the program, entrepreneurially minded students begin their education at PGCC and complete their bachelor's degree at the University of Maryland. The program, made possible by a $1.7 million gift from the David H. and Suzanne D. Hillman Family Foundation, provides scholarships to each student throughout the four years.

The Clark School, through MTECH Ventures, is offering its first executive education course, "Strategies for Managing Innovation." The course, limited to 30 registrants, provides a holistic, comprehensive strategy for building an innovation capability within an organization. Through its executive education courses, MTECH Ventures will provide technology leaders with knowledge they can effectively apply to drive innovation and success within their organizations.
Over the summer, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) hosted its first Materials Camp. The four-day program shows high school educators how to interest students in fundamental materials science through applied engineering demonstrations and hands-on experiments. MSE professors S. Ankem and Aris Christou directed the camp, which was held at the Modern Engineering Materials Instructional Laboratory in the Kim Engineering Building. Attendees included K-12 educators from Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia.

The Clark School has launched the "Transforming Energy” Lecture Series to facilitate a broad discussion on the challenges of developing breakthrough energy technology for a sustainable future. The fall's speakers included Jefferson Tester (MIT) at left, John Turner (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) and Patricia Dehmer (the U.S. Department of Energy).