The Sagan Energy Research Laboratory, established by a generous donation from Francis A. Sagan, provides research opportunities for faculty and students in solar engineering, telecommunications, hydrogen fuel cells, thin films and ellipsometry, and atomic spectroscopy.

Our primary emphasis is on joint faculty and student research projects. As a result of ongoing work at the lab, students have co-authored several papers with faculty, local industry leaders, and alumni.

Notable areas of research and study have included:

• Hydrogen fuel cell and metal hydride hydrogen storage research
• Ellipsometer thin film studies of H on palladium
• Neural network research-recognition of x-ray spectra peaks and reflectivity data for analysis of small samples of materials.
• Radio Frequency motes for environmental monitoring—a student-faculty collaboration with a cranberry bog owner in Plympton, MA.
• PID analyzers—collaboration with a local environmental engineering firm which supports research activities of Suffolk students. Students and faculty co-authored a paper presented at Pittcon 06, a major scientific conference in Orland, FL.
• Links to Friedman Field Station where RF motes are used for monitoring and control of solar geodesic dome, photovoltaics and windmills.