Recharge-OK Launches Stage 2 Kickoff to Advance Energy Resilience, Electric School Bus Innovation, and Student STEM Engagement

The Hudson College of Public Health is advancing the next phase of Recharge-OK, a National Science Foundation supported initiative focused on electric school buses, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, community energy resilience, and disaster preparedness. The recent Stage 2 kickoff was launched in Shawnee Public Schools, bringing together academic, civic, technical, and community partners to celebrate project momentum and launch the next phase of implementation in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

Led by Dr. Hongwan Li, Recharge-OK is designed to explore how electric school buses equipped with V2G technology can support local energy resilience, strengthen disaster preparedness, and provide broader community benefits. The project combines technical innovation with community engagement, public education, and student-centered learning opportunities. The project is led by the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences and supported by a broad cross-sector partnership that includes Shawnee Public Schools, Oklahoma Gas and Electric, Gordon Cooper Technology Center, IC Bus, InCharge Energy, ACOG, INCOG, City of Oklahoma City and academic partners at the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University.

The kickoff event marked an important milestone for Recharge-OK and highlighted the strong collaboration needed to move this work forward. The event was further distinguished by keynote remarks from the NSF Program Director Dr. Sokolsky, Dean Bratzler of the Hudson College of Public Health, and Dr. Meschke, Chair of the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health. Their participation underscored the significance of the project and reflected the strong institutional and national support behind its vision. Their remarks also positioned Recharge-OK as an important initiative at the intersection of research, innovation, education, and community impact.

A major focus of this next phase is community-engaged innovation. In addition to technical implementation, Recharge-OK will expand public outreach, community learning activities, and student-centered programming. One of the signature upcoming activities is the Recharge-OK Student Innovation Challenge, which will engage Shawnee high school students in hands-on STEM learning, teamwork, and creative problem solving around electric school buses, energy systems, and community resilience. The student challenge reflects the project’s broader goal of connecting research, education, and real-world community impact.

“Recharge-OK is about building practical, community-centered solutions for the future of energy resilience,” said Dr. Hongwan Li, Principal Investigator of Recharge-OK. “We are excited to work alongside our partners to advance innovative applications of electric school buses while also creating meaningful learning opportunities for students and the community.”

Recharge-OK builds on a strong foundation developed in its first stage, including community advisory activities, technical planning, and stakeholder collaboration. Stage 2 will support full-scale demonstration, expanded engagement, and continued development of tools and partnerships that can inform future energy resilience efforts in Oklahoma and beyond. The project emphasizes not only technological advancement, but also the importance of civic partnership, public awareness, and workforce and student development.

For more information about Recharge-OK, please contact recharge-ok@ou.edu and explore the project website at: https://rechargeok.org/.