Leadership Summit - 2019

The University Energy Institute Leadership Summit drew 101 leaders representing more than 67 academic energy institutes and centers from 32 states across the U.S. to the Wyndham Grand Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 25th and 26th. The summit was part of a research study to explore opportunities for collaboration among U.S. university energy institutes. Read the Summit agenda.

The event participants, who hailed from as far as Hawaii and Alaska, explored the possibility of creating a network of national energy institutes, and how such an organization would advance efforts in energy research, education, decarbonization strategies, innovation, public policy and advocacy.

National and local government officials welcomed attendees. Officials who provided remarks included Chanette Armstrong, Principal Deputy Director of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and a 1981 alumna of CMU’s College of Engineering; Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, a 1981 alumnus of CMU’s College of Engineering; and CMU Provost and Chief Academic Officer James H. Garrett, Jr., a three-time CMU College of Engineering alumnus (1982, 1983, 1986).

The workshop included fireside chats, roundtables, networking receptions and keynote presentations. Topics included “Energy in the Higher Education Curriculum” by Elizabeth J. Wilson, director of the Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society at Dartmouth College, and “21st Energy Justice” delivered by energy investor and climate advocate Michael Dorsey.