UT’s $18 million, five-year award from the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy to address the critical need to develop a smart electrical grid was announced in summer 2011. The center (Center for Ultra-wide area Resilient Electric Energy Transmission Networks) was the first NSF Engineering Research Center awarded to UT and the first to focus on power transmission streams. Dr. Kevin Tomsovic, head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science was director of the center. Dr. Yilu Liu, governor’s chair for electrical and computer science, was deputy director. A major focus of the center revolved around innovations to allow a global shift away from fossil fuels by facilitating higher levels of renewable energy resources within electrical grids. CURENT was also charged to educate a new generation of energy leaders with a global perspective.