About ASPIRE

ASPIRE is innovating the future of electrification — where energy is domestic, infrastructure is intelligent, and mobility is resilient.

Two students in safety glasses work on electrical equipment along a test track in a lab
Group wearing red hard hats on an elevated platform overlooking a desert solar facility.

Defined by collaboration across sectors, the center connects research to real-world deployment. The launch of the ASPIRE Foundation in 2025 marks its next chapter — accelerating impact at scale.

ASPIRE’s roots extend beyond its 2020 designation as a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center. Originating from the SELECT Center at Utah State University, ASPIRE has grown into a global, industry-supported initiative advancing electrified transportation.

Rendering of a Stadler FLIRT battery-electric passenger train with ASPIRE branding by mountains.

ASPIRE’s work spans the full lifecycle of electrified transportation systems:

  • Develop core technologies through fundamental and applied research
  • Train the next generation of engineers, researchers, and industry leaders
  • Deploy solutions in real-world environments through pilot projects
  • Scale innovations through industry collaboration and infrastructure integration
Three workers in hard hats and safety vests testing instrumented sensor cables on a concrete roadway

Why It Matters

Electrified transportation is more than a shift in vehicle technology. It requires rethinking how energy, infrastructure, and mobility systems work together.

ASPIRE addresses these challenges by focusing on:

Grid-integrated transportation systems
Scalable charging infrastructure
Electrified freight and logistics
Workforce development and talent pipelines

The result is a model that supports economic growth, energy resilience, and improved air quality while preparing communities and industries for the future of transportation.

Leadership

ASPIRE is led by a multidisciplinary team with expertise spanning engineering, infrastructure, energy systems, and transportation. Leadership provides strategic direction across research, partnerships, and deployment efforts, ensuring alignment between technical innovation and real-world impact.

Portrait of Zane in a dark blazer in front of white semi-trucks in a research lab
Regan Zane

Center Director & Chief Executive Officer

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Dustin Maughan

Chief Operations Officer

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James Campbell

Chief Strategy Officer & Director of Utah Electrification Initiative

Our Team

ASPIRE’s team includes faculty, researchers, students, and staff working across institutions and disciplines.

This collaborative environment enables:

Cross-cutting research across multiple technical areas
Hands-on student involvement in real
Integration of academic discovery with industry needs

Together, the ASPIRE team is building the knowledge, tools, and workforce needed to support electrified transportation at scale.

Contracted & Announced Since 2020
Peer Review Publications
Patents Awarded
Faculty, Students & Staff
Attendees Reached Through Events
Current Industry & Innovation Members

ASPIRE’s impact is driven by a robust ecosystem of partners across industry, academia, and government.
These partnerships enable:

  • Technology development aligned with real-world needs
  • Deployment of pilot projects in diverse environments
  • Pathways to commercialization and large-scale adoption

By working across this ecosystem, ASPIRE accelerates the transition from innovation to implementation.

Join the ASPIRE Ecosystem
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Contact Us

Contact us at contact@usu.edu or fill out the form below.

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