The Institute for Energy Solutions is pleased to announce that Sita Syal, Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Michael B. La Marca Energy Award, which includes $3,000 in research funds. Michael B. La Marca was a UM alumnus who worked in the solar energy sector who passed away unexpectedly at the age of 39. The La Marca family fundraises through the Annual Cycle for Michael Charity Bike Ride: https://maizeraise.umich.edu/5th-annual-cycle-for-michael-charity-bike-ride. The funds are intended to directly support the faculty’s clean energy research.
Syal plans to use the funds to advance emerging research in agrivoltaics, co-designing a workshop to investigate agricultural needs in relation to agrivoltaic design decisions. Building on University of Michigan and Washtenaw County partnerships, the human-centered workshop will shift the traditionally techno-centric focus to clean energy deployment to a more empathic, needs-based approach.The funds will go towards workshop design and implementation, including measures towards securing a substantive and diverse representation of the community.
IES will solicit self-nominations for the Michael B. La Marca Energy Award annually, and encourages all faculty who work on clean energy to apply.
Congratulations again to Sita!