ASEE Keynote Highlights Standards Academy and Future City Fellowship

The keynote at the American Society for Engineering Education’s recent Corporate Member Council highlighted Standards Academy and the Future City Fellowship. 

Standards Academy and the Future City Fellowship were featured in the keynote address for the American Society for Engineering Education’s Corporate Member Council’s event in Charlotte, North Carolina, this month.  

Jenna Campbell, dean of engineering at Campbell University, delivered the keynote, discussing the impact of the partnership between UL Research Institutes’ Institute for Research Experiences & Education and Discover Engineering, and underscoring the value of standards education with the use of Standards Academy.  

In 2026, the second year of the program, the Future City Fellowship expanded to include three universities: Campbell University, George Mason University, and University of Colorado Boulder. Students from these universities will work directly with UL Standards & Engagement, Discover Engineering, and this year’s city partners: the cities of Wilmington, North Carolina; Boulder, Colorado; and Fairfax, Virginia.  

Students will design a 30-year electrification plan for their city, focusing on safety and sustainability standards by using Standards Academy. Students learn about safety standards and the consensus process throughout this fellowship, gaining understanding of how standards work across a variety of fields including engineering, civil planning, communications, business, and more. Their projects must include standards, specifically demonstrating increased safety or sustainability from adherence to standards in their cost-benefit analysis. Together with local and national experts, they research and design their plans to adhere to city budgets, policies, safety, entrepreneurship, and infrastructure. 

The Future City Fellowship was piloted in 2025, when the postsecondary education team from ULRI’s Institute for Research Experiences & Education partnered with Campbell University to bring together a team of five students who designed an electrification plan for the city of Raleigh, North Carolina. Students in the pilot fellowship said it was a valuable experience that they would recommend to others. 

Emma Golden, a political science major at Campbell, said the fellowship provided her with hands-on experience working with students and experts across various fields. 

“I learned how to connect technical innovation with political and legal feasibility and to understand how zoning laws, equity considerations, and long-term planning affects implementation,” she said. “The project strengthened my ability to think across disciplines and communicate with engineers, planners, and stakeholders. I definitely plan to use this experience in my future legal and policy career.” 

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