Long before Sam Taylor began helping West Virginia University chart Appalachia’s energy future, time away from the Mountain State showed him why he wanted to come home.
From introducing middle school students to energy careers to helping experienced workers earn new credentials and offering tailored training to upskill others, the Resilient Energy Technology and Infrastructure Consortium led by West Virginia University is actively building a workforce network designed to meet the energy industry’s needs today — and anticipate the jobs it will need tomorrow.
When Dr. Erienne Olesh stepped to the podium at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s Business Summit on Sept. 2, 2026, she carried more than a set of talking points.
During Pittsburgh Channel 4 news a special one-hour edition of 4 The Record included an interview with RETI CEO Erienne Olesh starting at the 16-minute mark. They discuss RETI’s mission and the future infrastructure projects and concerns in the region.
From neuroscience researcher to innovation leader, Erienne Olesh’s journey reflects the unexpected opportunities that define a WVU education. Today, she’s helping lead a nationally recognized effort to strengthen America’s energy future.
The Resilient Energy Technology and Infrastructure Consortium, led by West Virginia University in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, and more than 60 regional partners, will use $321 million in public and private funding to develop the nation’s next leading industrial energy innovation hub in the heart of Appalachia.
Newest awardees join a portfolio of regional technology clusters that are spearheading the development of critical technologies across the country
Carnegie Mellon’s Scott Institute for Energy Innovation has played a key role in the University Energy Institute Leadership Collaborative (UEILC) since it was launched in 2019 to serve as a unifying resource for more than 150 university energy institutes across the United States.
In collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University, Pitt has opened the Pittsburgh Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC), a flagship federal program overseen by the U.S. Census Bureau, in the Cathedral of Learning.
Students at the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University will benefit from enhanced hands-on learning opportunities with the opening of a state-of-the-art EQT Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Lab.