In a corner of the Science and Industry Building at the Great New York State Fair is what looks like a Formula One race car, emblazoned in stripes of Binghamton University green. In the seats turning the wheels of this student-built electric vehicle aren't professional racers, however, but kids as little as 1.
Thousands of people from New York and beyond stopped by the booth, run by the National Science Foundation Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York.
From children in strollers to government leaders, including Assemblymember Donna Lupardo, fairgoers of all backgrounds had an opportunity to learn about upstate New York's growing battery industry, as well as the Energy Storage Engine's role in ushering in that future.
"We had a broad and deep reach across New York state with visitors from more than 20 states nationwide," said Maggie Cousin, regional engagement coordinator for the Engine.
Other guests also hailed from 11 countries outside the U.S., including Canada, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and the United Kingdom, Cousin added, "highlighting the truly global interest in America's battery future."
"This is going to be a very critical, growing industry for upstate New York in the coming years," Engine CEO Meera Sampath said. "So it is very important for us as an Engine to let the community know not only that the field of battery science is a very exciting one, but also the battery industry is playing and will play an even more critical role in the future for all of upstate New York."
Working the booth in Syracuse were volunteers from all corners of the NSF Energy Storage Engine's coalition, including scientists and corporate leaders, as well as students and staff from academic partners Binghamton University, Alfred University, Syracuse University, Cornell University and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).
"We need kids to understand that this is a career path, that you could be a battery scientist, or you could be an engineer, or you could be a technician - and there are pathways that we're building in New York to make that available to you," Cousin said.
One way to illustrate those opportunities was to show the power of batteries and science in action, with the display of several electric vehicles.
The fair began with a showcase of Binghamton Motorsports Team's Formula One EV. Families had an opportunity to sit in and pose with the car, exploring the power and possibilities of engineering, while potential sponsors and alumni could stop by and connect with club members. Binghamton graduate student Emily Schrier, who is operations manager of the club, recalled one young girl who even came up and hugged her upon learning she had helped build the vehicle.
"That was an experience I've never seen or felt before: someone looking up and saying, 'I want to do that when I'm in college,'" she said.
Binghamton students built the vehicle from scratch, a year-long process involving painstaking planning, fabricating and testing. For eligibility in competitions, the team also must follow a 200-page rulebook, Schrier added.
"I'm very proud of our team, that they are willing to do this," said Ziang "John" Zhang, Binghamton associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and the group's faculty advisor. "This is extracurricular for them. It's not regarding any course, but they are willing to spend their time and join the club and work on the project."
Alfred University students showcased an all-terrain vehicle at the fair, displaying a formerly gas-powered dune buggy that club members converted into an electric vehicle with a rechargeable battery.
"This is not just an electrical vehicle that we just bought. It's something that we converted from gas. It's a project we did ourselves, so it's definitely something to be proud of, especially representing Alfred University," team member Chevon Adriaans said. "It's a proud moment and shows that we're doing something good."
Converting the ATV took the better part of a school year and summer, according to John Simmins, director of Alfred University's GE Vernova Advanced Power Grid Lab. Showcasing the product of that work to hundreds of people demonstrates the benefits of this kind of technology.
"I think having an electric vehicle here, particularly one that's not commercially available, brings home the point that this technology is here, it's available and it's within reach," he said. "They say a picture paints a thousand words. Well, something you can sit in paints a thousand pictures."
RIT students wrapped up the fair with a display of their electric racing motorcycle, which is used to compete against U.S. and international teams.
It wasn't just children and teens, however, who found enjoyment in playing with these vehicles. Leaders such as SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr., Commissioner of Agriculture Richard A. Ball and Lupardo stopped by the Engine's booth to learn more about the innovation being fostered in upstate New York's battery ecosystem.
"We're talking to all types of New Yorkers and people who came from out of state to visit. It was a good opportunity to just tell our message, but also hear from them about their experiences with batteries and what their thoughts are," said William Thibault, operations program manager for the Engine. "We have fire chiefs who are worried about disposal or dealing with lithium batteries, and we're reassuring them that batteries are getting better and safer every year. We've got people that have no idea how a battery works, and we're explaining to them how a battery and its basic technology works, and showing them under a microscope what one looks like."
The power of sharing exciting scientific developments and discoveries with the public was not lost on volunteers like Zhang. He encountered many learning moments while explaining his energy research and the grid to fairgoers.
"They were interested in some very general, common information. For example, what is normal battery safety practice? How long does a typical battery last? Which battery is better than the other?" he said. "That experience was also educational for me, and I learned how to effectively share my knowledge with a general audience."
Getting to talk with children who dream of becoming engineers or potentially attending her own school was likewise rewarding for Schrier.
"A lot of kids started becoming interested. They were like, 'Which school do you go to? I maybe want to go to that school too,'" she said. "A lot of kids said, 'I want to race cars one day or build cars.' Some were already interested in engineering, and they were 10."
The prospect of having those conversations and nurturing every spark of curiosity people might have about batteries was a primary draw bringing the NSF Energy Storage Engine to the fair, which more than a million people visit annually. The Energy Storage Engine team provided community resource booklets and a coloring guide developed by Binghamton Art Club students, for children and adults alike.
"From little kids to parents, to jobseekers, to companies, to perhaps investors, this gives a wonderful opportunity for us to reach a very large audience in one go," Sampath said. "We want to tell them, of course, about all that is happening in the battery industry and why it's important, but also to share with them who we are, what we are doing, and why the NSF Innovation Engines program is so critical for the nation and for upstate New York."
After all, though batteries power our daily lives, the average person might not think twice about the lithium ions moving through their phone batteries or charging their laptops. Bringing even a small level of awareness to this technology, according to Cousin, goes a long way in bridging the industries and researchers innovating batteries, and the communities using them.
"I don't know where else the general public would be introduced to these ideas or have an opportunity to talk to the students who retrofit this car," she said. "I think it's a good use of our time. Even if we just get people to think about how important batteries are in their lives, I feel like that's a win."
The NSF Energy Storage Engine is one of nine inaugural NSF-designated engines in the nation, focusing on strengthening America's battery ecosystem in upstate New York. Funded by the NSF's flagship Regional Innovation Engines program and New York State Empire State Development, it focuses on bolstering workforce development and R&D.
But beyond bringing research out of university labs and boosting manufacturing, ensuring everyday citizens can understand and see those impacts as they grow is also critical, said Myra Henry, regional engagement director.
"It's important for regional engagement to be highlighted in a thread through the battery ecosystem, so that we're bringing the communities along as this technology and space emerges," Henry said. "This way it's one they feel part of and have some ownership stake in."
Cousin added, "Our work at the Engine should start with the communities we serve."
As the Engine's first year at the fair was ending, Sampath was already thinking about the next several.
Historically, world's fairs, for example, used to be opportunities for nations to show off their technological prowess. And while the New York state fair itself is rooted in its agricultural strength, Sampath envisions a future where the region's leadership in energy innovation becomes just as big a feature as farms and fun.
"The Engine will certainly love to continue in the coming years, but I'm hoping that it's not just the Engine. We could have all our other players and partners and companies in the energy storage space using the state fair as an opportunity to talk about and showcase the state's energy strength," she said. "There's entertainment, there's agriculture, there's energy."
