Two students in the University of Georgia College of Engineering have been awarded a 2015 Campus Sustainability Grant for research designed to determine the best locations for electric vehicle charging stations.

Huawei Yang and Kevin Yu, PhD students in the College of Engineering, will use smartphone technology to analyze electric vehicle use in the Athens and UGA communities. Application of this research will assist in the development of a planning tool for communities to optimize the locations and installations of electric vehicle charging stations.

The University of Georgia Office of Sustainability awarded $43,000 to fund eleven interdisciplinary student projects through its annual Campus Sustainability Grants Program. The program, funded by student green fees, provides financial and staff resources to implement student-initiated projects that further the University’s sustainability goals.

“The Campus Sustainability Grants Program is an opportunity for students to learn by doing,” Kevin Kirsche, Director of the Office of Sustainability said. “The program provides an avenue for UGA students from diverse academic backgrounds to work collaboratively and develop innovative ideas from concept to completion.”

The Office received project proposals from students in various academic disciplines. A selection committee of students, faculty and staff made the final recommendations for projects to be awarded in 2015.

For more information on Campus Sustainability Grants and other initiatives of the UGA Office of Sustainability, see http://www.sustainability.uga.edu/.