At the Center for Advancing Community Electrification Solutions (ACES), our mission doesn't stop at academic discovery. We are dedicated to research translation—taking complex, cutting-edge findings from our labs and turning them into practical, accessible communications and tools that municipal planners, business owners, and community members can use to build a more resilient energy future.
Explore some of our public-facing work at the links below.
ACES in the Media & Public Conversations
From Labs to Local Lives
How does R1 research move from the lab to the community? This three-part limited podcast series exploring how our research transforms complex ideas into tangible solutions.
In our debut series, Lehigh Valley Public Media host and Emmy Award-winning journalist Brittany Sweeney sits down with Shalinee Kishore, Director of the Center for Advancing Community Electrification Solutions (ACES), to tackle the urgent challenges of modern energy—from the rise of AI data centers to grid reliability.
AI and the Energy Sector: Preparing Mechanical Engineers for the Future
ACES leader Arindam Banerjee sat down with the President of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping the global energy landscape. He shares his framework for training "trilingual" engineers who are equally fluent in physics, data-driven machine learning, and physical infrastructure.
The Rise of AI Data Centers
Professor Alberto Lamadrid explores the massive infrastructure and energy footprint of modern data centers. Discover how localized energy markets and policy innovations must adapt to handle this massive computing boom without sacrificing local grid reliability.
The Data Center Debate
Artificial intelligence is driving an unprecedented demand for data centers. In Pennsylvania, proposals for new data centers are raising big questions about economic development, environmental impact, infrastructure strain, and community transparency. In this hour-long, interview-style special, A Community Conversation: The Data Center Debate brings together local leaders, industry experts, environmental advocates, and residents to explore what AI data centers could mean for the region.
How Deregulation Made Electricity More Expensive
Energy deregulation promised lower prices through competition. But instead, consumers got an army of middleman marketers. Learn how the open energy market leads to confusion, dubious marketing practices and higher costs for consumers in this editorial co-authored by Alberto Lamadrid.
Will PA Have Enough Electricity for AI and Everyone Else?
ACES leaders Shalinee Kishore and Arindam Banerjee discuss how AI infrastructure complicates a power grid that is already stretched thin.
Resources
Navigating Restructured Energy Markets
In 18 states and Washington DC, consumers can choose their own energy provider. Use this educational guide to evaluate your options and choose the best provider for your needs.
Media Inquiries and Expert Commentary
Are you a journalist covering grid modernization, the clean energy transition, or the infrastructure impacts of AI and data centers? ACES faculty are leading researchers in the field, ready to provide clear, evidence-based commentary and technical context for your story.
All media requests, campus filming, and expert interviews are coordinated centrally through University Communications. To connect with an ACES expert on your deadline, please visit the Lehigh Media Room to submit your request or find the designated media relations contact.