Franklin College receives grant for electric vehicle course

FRANKLIN, Ind. — The Ball Venture Fund awarded a $25,000 grant to Franklin College to teach sustainable energy through electric vehicles.

The college will purchase electric go-karts that will be incorporated into physics coursework during a January intensive course. This course includes a series of programs for middle and high school students, as well as trainings for K-12 STEM teachers throughout Indiana.

“The Sustainable Energy Education through Electric Vehicles project will inspire the next generation of innovators and problem solvers in the growing sector of clean energy,” said Arbin Thapaliya, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the chemistry and physics department. “It will create opportunities for hands-on learning through the building, testing and driving of a road-ready electric go-kart.”

Thapaliya, who will develop and oversee the project, said it will provide hands-on learning about the electrification of vehicles, associated battery technology, solar power and solar charging stations. By combining solar energy and electric vehicle education with an emphasis on problem-solving and creativity, the curriculum will teach students how to innovate for a more sustainable future. It will also prepare them to enter careers in fast-growing fields, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

There are 29 private, non-profit campus in Indiana. Franklin College’s project was one of only five selected to receive funding from the Ball Venture Fund.

For more information, please contact the Franklin College Office of Communications at (317) 738-8185.