Dr. Charles Bakis, Distinguished Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics, received a renewal on his Graduate Automotive Technology Education (GATE) initiative. The US Department of Energy GATE initiative will award funds over the course of five years (2011-16) to support seven Centers of Excellence at American colleges, universities, and university-affiliated research institutions, including Penn State. Professors Charles Bakis and Michael Lanagan of the ESM Department have been involved with Penn State's GATE Center since its founding in 1998. Their research interests encompass electrical energy storage using advanced composite flywheels and advanced capacitors. Other affiliates of the Penn State GATE Center are associated with the Larson Transportation Institute, the College of Engineering, and College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, and the Applied Research Laboratory. The recently awarded funding will allow Penn State’s GATE program to continue to sponsor DOE graduate fellows investigating energy storage and advanced combustion in hybrid and electric vehicles. The DOE GATE program promotes the development of a skilled workforce of engineering professionals who will overcome technical barriers and help commercialize the next generation of advanced automotive technologies.