University of Toledo

As industries turn to hydrogen as an increasingly attractive clean energy source, The University of Toledo is leading efforts to develop the talent needed for its production, distribution, storage and use.

Supported by $3 million through the U.S. Department of Energy, UToledo chemist Mark Mason, Ph.D., is the principal investigator leading the collaborative initiative to assess the academic degree programs, courses and certifications needed to equip workers for successful careers in the emerging hydrogen economy. Mason and his collaborators, including Lesley Berhan, Ph.D., a mechanical engineer, and Sujata Shetty, Ph.D., an urban planner, are on track to develop curricula, implement programs and recruit students as early as Fall 2026.

The project is among the latest workforce development initiatives out of UToledo, a regional public university that contributes a $2.8 billion economic impact to its community.