Charlie Jones is a busy man. He’s about to get a lot busier. Oregon Institute of Technology announced that Charlie Jones, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Engineering, Technology, and Management will add the role of Director of the Oregon Renewable Energy Center (OREC) to his already busy calendar. Jones will assume the additional role beginning July 1, 2012.
“OREC plays a valuable role in the university and in the renewable energy industry. We are entering a new chapter in the organization’s history and anticipate a stronger, even more vital future ahead,” commented Jones. “OREC is a facilitator for faculty research at Oregon Tech and community outreach in the renewable energy field.”
Oregon Renewable Energy Center (OREC) was established in 2001 to integrate renewable energy technologies into energy systems for practical use by businesses and consumers. OREC is the leader in the development and application of renewable energy systems in the Pacific Northwest. The Center works with faculty and students to conduct applied research, provide education and technical assistance, and work with industry and electric utilities in Oregon and the region to make renewable energy the energy of choice for the future of the nation.
OREC has been involved in numerous projects over the years, including the “Rose House,” a Zero Net Energy home in Portland, where it set up heating and cooling controls and a data acquisition system for the residence. The organization is working with faculty, students and Green Lite Motors of Portland on their two-seat, hybrid gas-electric, three-wheeled vehicle. They’ve also participated in development of an innovative way to model the aerodynamics of a turbine’s wake. They have participated in many other projects.
OREC also supports incorporating sustainability concepts into regular coursework across all disciplines while programs such as Oregon Tech’s Renewable Energy Engineering, and Manufacturing and Civil Engineering, Environmental Sciences, and Business Management address sustainable practices directly.
One of the most renowned aspects of OREC is the Geo-Heat Center at Oregon Tech’s Klamath Falls campus. The Geo-Heat Center, the only one of its kind in the United States, provides a unique service to individuals, organizations, and companies to enhance geothermal energy on a national and international level. This assistance can be in the area of feasibility at the outset of a project, equipment and materials selection during the design phase, or follow-up troubleshooting for operational systems. The Geo-Heat Center has been in operation for 30 years.
Jones spent 20 years in the industrial engineering field before coming to Oregon Tech in 1997. He holds a Ph.D. from Utah State University, an M.B.A. from the University of Puget Sound, and a B.S. from the University of Utah.
For more information about the Oregon Renewable Energy Center (OREC), contact Charlie Jones, at 541- 885-1377 or email him at Charlie.jones@oit.edu.
About Oregon Tech
Founded in Klamath Falls in 1947, Oregon Institute of Technology is one of seven institutions in the Oregon University System, and the only public institute of technology in the Pacific Northwest. Oregon Tech provides degree programs in engineering and health technologies, management, communication and applied sciences that prepare students to be effective participants in their professional, public and international communities through hands-on learning. Oregon Tech has a main campus in Klamath Falls. The Portland campuses are consolidating to one, new state-of-the-art campus in Wilsonville, Oregon where the university will begin offering classes in Fall 2012; other sites are located in Salem, La Grande and Seattle. Oregon Institute of Technology is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
Visit www.oit.edu to learn more about Oregon Institute of Technology.
