Joseph H. Simmons, Backe Chair for Renewable Energy, Florida Gulf Coast University
Professor Joe Simmons has been the Backe Chair for Renewable Energy at Florida Gulf Coast
University since 2011, where he is the director of their Renewable Energy Institute. Joe is not a
newcomer to Florida. He served as professor in the Department of Materials Science and
Engineering at the University of Florida from the mid 80’s to 2000. After that he took the Chair
of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Arizona. It was
there that Joe formed the Arizona Research Institute for Solar Energy and started a statewide
program to support the deployment of solar energy in Arizona. Working with the state’s utilities,
university faculty, the solar industry and the public service commission, AzRISE promoted
research, development, economic and policy studies in solar energy as well as community and K12 STEM outreach. It is his goal to bring this experience to Florida Gulf Coast University to set
up an effective education, research and outreach program in renewable energy.