HARRISBURG, PA — Harrisburg University of Science & Technology (HU) has secured a $1.6 million, 3.5-year extension on its second Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) contract, continuing the critical work led by HU’s Center for Applied Environmental & Geospatial Technology (CAEGT). Funds for this contract were made available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), better known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
The newly extended contract builds on the Center’s impactful efforts to identify and locate abandoned oil and gas wells across the Commonwealth: work that directly supports environmental protection and the reduction of methane emissions. The project will leverage advanced geospatial technologies (GIS), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning to analyze tens of thousands of historic maps and data sources, while providing paid, hands-on research experiences for HU Environmental Science students studying GIS technologies.
“We are excited to continue this meaningful partnership with the Commonwealth and grateful for the DEP’s support of our GIS and Environmental Science programs,” said Craig Lewis, Director of CAEGT. “The work will continue for the next 3.5 years and encompass a wide breadth of sources and methodologies to aid in this valuable identification. Our students will gain valuable hands-on experience that will ultimately lead to the sealing of the wells and, finally, reducing methane emissions released into the environment we all share.”
Students and staff at HU, as well as students from other high schools and universities who partner with HU on this project, will have the opportunity to employ modern GIS skills on historic maps, drawings, and project files. “Additionally, students will research and deploy cutting-edge AI and machine learning methodologies to study particular subsets of roughly 31,000 maps and other data sources that will be analyzed,” added Craig Lewis.
The Pennsylvania DEP and HU’s Center for Applied Environmental & Geospatial Technology have a long history of partnering on projects that are extremely valuable to protecting the citizens of the Commonwealth. The Center has been working on DEP’s Mine Mapping Grant for nearly 13 years. HU looks forward to continuing this partnership through these projects and others.
Albert Sarvis, HU’s Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness, added: “Special congratulations and thanks to Craig Lewis and the entire CAEGT team for building and sustaining a strong reputation with DEP and for their continued success in securing competitive grant awards and contracts that create meaningful student opportunities.”
ABOUT HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY
Harrisburg University of Science & Technology (HU) is an independent, nonprofit university offering demand-driven degrees in advanced manufacturing, engineering, robotics, nursing, cybersecurity, and other critical fields. Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, HU serves a diverse student body through undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs that link learning and research with practical applications. For information about HU’s affordable STEM degrees and professional development programs, call 717.901.5146 or email Connect@HarrisburgU.edu. Stay in the know by following Harrisburg University on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
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