NSF Awards $500K to WindSTAR for AI-Driven Wind Energy Research

NSF funds WindSTAR to advance AI in wind energy research

The University of Texas at Dallas has secured continued federal support for the Center for Wind Energy Science, Technology and Research (WindSTAR), a public-private partnership focused on energy independence and reliability.

WindSTAR, jointly run by UT Dallas and the University of Massachusetts Lowell, received a five-year, $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The award provides $250,000 to each university and extends NSF backing that began in 2014.

Focus: AI that improves reliability and efficiency

The new funding targets applied AI across the wind energy lifecycle: manufacturing quality, component health prediction, site forecasting, and resilient system design. Faculty contributing to WindSTAR include Drs. Giacomo Valerio Iungo, Stefano Leonardi, Mario Rotea, Todd Griffith, and Jie Zhang.

• Reduce manufacturing defects with data-driven quality control
• Predict turbine component condition for timely maintenance
• Forecast wind conditions to improve farm-level operations
• Develop resilient wind energy systems that withstand real-world variability

"This support from the National Science Foundation enables us to continue our work to strengthen the resiliency of the energy grid," said Dr. Mario Rotea, UTD Wind director, WindSTAR site director and professor of mechanical engineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. "Investments in WindSTAR enhance our ability to innovate new technologies to ensure greater reliability of our energy systems."

Industry-university collaboration with measurable outcomes

WindSTAR operates as an NSF Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC), connecting industry innovators, academic researchers, and government agencies to accelerate practical solutions. The center is part of UTD Wind, the Wind Energy Center at UT Dallas.

To date, the IUCRC has completed 79 projects for industrial members spanning digital models for performance assessment, field measurement campaigns, control systems, and materials processing and manufacturing for blades and towers.

"WindSTAR has created a direct pipeline between our graduate research and industry needs," said Dr. Edward White, professor and department head of mechanical engineering and Jonsson School Chair. "More than 25 graduate students have gained invaluable experience working with industrial partners, and many have secured positions with WindSTAR member companies after graduation. This partnership is a model for how university research can be workforce development for the energy sector."

Talent development with real impact

Alumni have also moved into national labs and academia. Umberto Ciri PhD '19, now an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez and a 2025 NSF CAREER awardee, credits WindSTAR's support during his UT Dallas doctoral work with enabling close collaboration with industry to test strategies that improve wind farm energy output.

"The dialogue and feedback that went on over the years truly helped make my research more impactful in the field, which was a key goal for me, especially being a student at the early stages of my career," Ciri said. "In addition, participating in WindSTAR's activities and meetings really exposed me to the different aspects of the wind energy sector beyond my specific field of study. This really helped me get to know the industry and was a unique advantage during my PhD studies."

Why this matters for researchers

This award continues a model that connects AI methods with real constraints from manufacturing floors, test sites, and operating wind farms. For researchers, it means access to data, industrial validation, and a clearer path to deployment.

• NSF Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC)
• UT Dallas Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science