CERC Director

Director of California Energy Research Center, CSUB

The California Energy Research Center (CERC) at California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) plays a critical role in shaping the future research landscape in energy related areas in Kern County and in translating research to education and community activities. With the recent investment of $83M from the State of California, a new Energy Innovation Building (EIB) is now under construction. The EIB will offer modernized space and facilities to enhance the capacity of CERC, which will serve as a regional hub to connect researchers, educators, energy-related industries, and government agencies. In 2024, CERC received a $2.5M endowment to support its future development.

The Director of the CERC will provide leadership to advance the mission of CERC by cultivating interdisciplinary research in energy areas, developing external collaboration with industry, organizations, and communities to drive future energy solutions, and bringing new opportunities to faculty and students at CSUB. Directly reporting to the Dean of the College of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering (NSME), the CERC Director is an essential member in the College’s leadership team. The position of CERC Director offers the chance to develop and grow a new, energy-focused innovation hub that will harness the expertise of faculty, the enthusiasm of students and the experience of community partners to address issues of importance to the region and beyond. We seek an individual who enjoys creating new opportunities, forging partnerships, and building a legacy of impactful, long-lasting contributions that will positively influence generations to come.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Organizational Development and Optimization
• Initiate the development of CERC infrastructure by leveraging shared resources with the support of CSUB and NSME leadership;
• Steward the growth direction of CERC. Work closely with CSUB leadership, the NSME Dean, CERC External Advisory Board to ensure that CERC development is aligned with the CSUB strategic direction and the needs of local economic and workforce development;
• Bring all stakeholders together to create a comprehensive strategic plan for CERC;
• Ensure that CERC’s development and operations adhere to CSU/CSUB policies;
• Adapt CERC’s operations, including fiscal and personnel management, to support the center's evolving needs.
• Cultivate Interdisciplinary Research:
• Develop and maintain an up-to-date database of faculty expertise at CSUB to facilitate research collaboration across campus;
• Connect faculty with research opportunities by building partnerships with other area colleges, research universities, industry R&D sectors, and national laboratories;
• Build interdisciplinary faculty and student research teams that work closely with external partners;
• Work with the NSME Dean to build a faculty community to foster interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Lead Efforts to Solicit External Funding:
• Expand energy-focused grant writing in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams and CSUB’s Office of Grants and Sponsored Programs;
• Connect external funding opportunities with faculty;
• Work with University Advancement to cultivate and increase financial support for the center and its activities.
• Increase Student and Faculty Opportunities:
• Create opportunities for students to engage in research projects, professional practice, and internships;
• Provide support for students to participate in professional conferences to present their work, including the CERC Annual Symposium;
• Work with faculty to translate research into educational activities;
• Create student-faculty research collaborations and internships;
• Provide professional development for faculty to enhance their research and grant writing capacity;
• Support technology transfer and intellectual property development.
• Position CERC as a Hub to Drive Energy Innovation for the Region:
• Increase the visibility of CERC by strategically publicizing CERC activities and accomplishments;
• Organize and host the annual CERC Symposium;
• Work with faculty, students, staff and community partners to host outreach activities;
• Expand the CERC Advisory Board and host meetings regularly to engage key stakeholders;
• to the CERC website to provide the community with useful information about energy-related issues