CERTAIN seeks to add to knowlede about the development of energy resources of all sorts, particularly in and around Ohio, as well as the environmental and public-health impacts of this development. To accomplish this objective, the center facilitates research, education, and outreach, and exchanges of information carried out by multidisciplinary working groups consisting of OSU faculty members who have chosed to affiliate with CERTAIN.

CERTAIN provides the foundation for external program development via its Seed Grant program in six key areas:

(a) subsurface extractive energy resources,
(b) transition and bridge fuels,
(c) subsurface and materials-by-design energy storage,
(d) critical resources for renewable energy and storage (e.g., lithium, rare earth elements),
(e) water use and impacts from energy production, and
(f) measurement and monitoring technology with emphasis on environmental stewardship.