Charlestown
Leadership should go – they might learn something
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| Right now, this is just about the only form of "green energy" that's OK to use in Charlestown |
The second annual “Plugged into URI Energy Research” lectures
will highlight cutting-edge energy research and outreach projects under way by
URI faculty, staff and alumni and explore how the results of these projects
impact Rhode Island and Rhode Islanders.
All of the lectures are free and open to the public and will run
from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in room 170 of the URI Pharmacy Building on the Kingston
campus.
“We are excited to present this lecture series as a platform for researchers, policymakers and industry professionals to share information with the public and each other about their innovative efforts around a variety of locally-relevant energy topics,” said Kate Venturni, interim director of URI’s Extension Outreach Center.
“It is our hope that folks will leave each lecture
enlightened about the great work going on at URI and beyond, and inspired to do
something to help forward progress in energy – whether it’s changing out a
lightbulb, scheduling an energy audit, installing solar panels, or getting
involved in their community.”
The series kicks off Nov. 2 with four presentations focused on
ocean energy generation in Rhode Island, sponsored by Deepwater Wind. Speakers
will be Chris Kearns, chief of program development in the Rhode Island Office
of Energy Resources, discussing the state’s role in advancing offshore wind;
URI Ocean Engineering Professor Malcolm Spaulding speaking about ocean wind
energy research used in siting offshore wind farms; Capt. John O’Keeffe, senior
marine coordinator for Deepwater Wind, on Deepwater Wind’s operational
challenges and triumphs during erection of the Block Island wind farm; and
Hollie Smith, URI assistant professor of communication studies, on media
coverage of energy technology in New England.
Speakers on Nov. 9 will address the theme of energy efficiency.
They include Rachel Sholly and Becca Trietch, chiefs of program development in
the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources.
Sholly will discuss why Rhode
Island leads the country in energy efficiency, while Trietch will share
information about the state’s efforts to market the energy performance of
buildings during real estate transactions.
In addition, URI doctoral student
Carrie Gill will discuss the importance of benchmarking energy usage and how
Rhode Island cities and towns manage their energy use to save taxpayer dollars.
The series concludes Nov. 16 with a discussion of energy
generation in the Northeast. Speakers are Ron Gerwatowski, former assistant
secretary of energy for the state of Massachusetts, who will share insights
about the challenge of creating a low carbon energy system; Andy Boslett, a
postdoctoral researcher at the University of Rochester, on the local impacts of
the oil and gas boom in communities around the country; and URI Engineering
Professor Vinka Oyanedel-Craver on “taking the waste out of wastewater” through
an innovative, energy-producing process called anaerobic digestion.
For more information about the lecture series, visit
web.uri.edu/ceoc or call 401-874-4906.