The Applied Energy Research Lab (AERL) was created in 1983 as an off-campus laboratory for the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. The purpose of the lab has always been to provide remote space and facilities for research work which is not appropriate for the main campus, either because of a lack of suitable space on the main campus or because of some special nature of the research work. Examples of the types of activities conducted at AERL over the years are solar energy projects requiring open space, earth source energy projects involving excavation, projects involving liquid metals and dangerous chemicals such as various solvents and fuels, projects with difficult noise effects, projects involving engine development and combustion research, and projects requiring low background vibration and noise. Approximately $3.5 million in research has been carried out to date involving some 14 faculty. AERL brought in about $400,000 in lab funding for 1996-97 and has nine active faculty and 20 students, mostly graduate students, working at the facility. The laboratory is unique in that it provides a facility that allows work to be done that probably could not otherwise be done at a congested campus such as NC StateÕs. It is also unique in that it has always had a critical mass of faculty with common interests, collaborating, and sharing research equipment. Currently, Dr. Richard Gould is Director of the lab with Dr.William Roberts as the Associate Director.
