2020 Distinguished Lectures
Designed to bring nationally recognized experts from academia, industry, and government to Notre Dame to discuss best practices, new technologies, and policy developments in energy, 2020 brought new challenges due to COVID-19 and having to execute events virtually. We are pleased to highlight the following presentations that focused on energy and the environment, inspiring a captive audience whether in-person or virtual:
November 12-13: 3rd annual ND Energy Research Symposium -- Waste-to-Energy: Reimagining the Possibilities
October 16: EnergizeND! - BP at ND: An Energy Outlook by Dr. Jorge León, energy economist with BP Group Economics. He provided an outlook discussion on the future of energy. (view recording)
August 23-August 28: 14th annual Notre Dame Energy Week
August 27: "The Gift of Solar in Puerto Rico...Philanthropy and Climate Change" by Dory Trimble, executive director of the Honnold Foundation and Arturo Massol Deyá, executive director of Casa Pueblo. They discussed their ambitious partnership to create a cooperatively managed community-owned solar microgrid in the mountain town of Adjuntas, Puerto Rico.
August 27: "The Future of Mobility...Tough Choices Ahead" featuring panelists Michael Noland, President and General Manager, South Shore Line, Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District; Matt Peak, Managing Director, Energy Systems Network; and Chris Tindal, Assistant Director of Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiatives. These experts in the transportation industry discussed current initiatives related to energy efficient transportation management, services, design, production, and use.
August 26: "It Can’t Be Done…Or Can It?" by Patrick Regan, Founder and CEO, Crossroads Solar. Along with undergraduate students James Hegarty, Sylvia Kolda, Kelly Moran, and Erin Ludwig, Regan shared the early successes and unexpected challenges of establishing Crossroads Solar, a solar panel manufacturing company that employs and trains former convicted felons to fulfill its mission of providing clean energy solutions for domestic customers.
February 20 (on campus): "A Chemist’s Stint with Nuclear Forensics at the State Department" by Christopher Cahill, Professor of Chemistry and International Affairs, The George Washington University. He provided insight for those wishing to explore careers in the government, federal agencies, or other forums at the intersection of science and technology policy.
February 7-8 (on campus): John Ruskin: Property of the Anthropocene. This conference explored how Ruskin's legacy continues to challenge the disciplinary divides that separate art from science and ethics from economics, and how his critique of Victorian capitalism and industrialization can address our own concerns today.
For more information or to get involved, contact Anne Berges Pillai, Education and Outreach Associate Program Director, at 574-631-9106 or apillai@nd.edu.