North American Energy Summit 2008

A Comprehensive Discussion of Energy Issues

Technology-Policy-Education-Business-Infrastructure


May 1-2, 2008

The University of Texas at San Antonio
Downtown Campus - Buena Vista Building

The University of Texas at San Antonio will host the North American Energy Summit (NAES). The goal of the NAES is to bring together experts with diverse backgrounds from Canada, Mexico and the US to highlight the energy needs of future generations. The NAES will also serve as a meeting point for representatives from the industry, academia and federal, state, and local governments. Serving as the Honorary Chair for the NAES will be the Hon. Elizabeth Ames Jones, Texas Railroad Commissioner and visionary leader for the energy industry.

We invite you to participate in this important event that will shape the future of the energy industry with particular emphasis on our region. Scheduled for May 1-2, 2008, the UTSA Energy Summit will bring together approximately 150 energy leaders and professionals to discuss topics such as fossil fuels; renewable energy; nuclear energy; green business practices; the built environment; economics of energy and transportation; public policy and regulations that influence industry practices; and energy education.

Several leaders from academic institutions, national laboratories and governmental agencies have been invited to speak and participate in this energy summit.

The ideas that arise through these discussions will form the foundation for UTSA's planned development of an energy institute, ICARE - Institute for Conventional, Alternative and Renewable Energy. ICARE addresses a core area of excellence in our strategic plan A Shared Vision: UTSA 2016 that will enable our University to become a premier research university. Through ICARE, UTSA plans to build a consortium where representatives from industry, government, and academia will collaborate to explore new directions, policies and best practices for the energy industry in the State, the North American Region and the World.

If you would like more information please contact Dr. Mauli Agrawal, Dean of the College of Engineering at UTSA, at 210-458-5526. We look forward to your participation in this important discussion. We believe that by working together we can help bring about a better environment and world for the next generation.

Organizing Committee

Professor Stathis Michaelides, Chair, College of Engineering
Professor Hazem Rashed-Ali, College of Architecture
Professor Carmen Fies, College of Education and Human Development
Professor Kevin Grant, College of Business
Professor Dianne Rahm, College of Public Policy
Professor Harriet Romo, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Mexico Center

Program

May 1st, 2008

8:00 a.m.

Registration

9:00 a.m.

Plenary Session - Buena Vista Bldg Theatre BV 1.326
Dr. Ricardo Romo, President UTSA
The Hon. Nelson Wolff, Bexar County Judge
The Hon. Elizabeth Ames Jones, Commissioner, Railroad Commission of Texas
Dr. Dale Klein, Chairman of Nuclear Regulatory Commission

10:30 a.m.

Coffee Break

10:50 a.m.

Plenary Session - Buena Vista Bldg Theatre BV 1.326
Leslie Drogan, Senior Advisor, US Department of Energy
The Hon. Norris Pettis, Consul General of Canada

12 noon

Lunch - Frio Street Building Commons

1:30 p.m.

Panel A: Short Term (20 years) Energy Future - BV 1.326
Panelists

  • Moderator: Professor Stathis Michaelides
  • Walter Rosenbaum, University of Florida
  • Dr. Ibrahim Dincer, University of Ontario
  • Professor Scott W. Tinker, UT-Austin and State Geologist of Texas
  • Professor Miriam Grunstein, Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico (ITAM)

3:00 p.m.

Coffee Break

3:20 p.m.

Parallel Sessions
Session A1: Global Environmental Change - BV 1.326

  • Session Chair: Professor Carmen Fies
  • Dr. Ruth Reck, University of California, Davis
  • Dr. Jong Kim, KAIST/EPRI
  • Dr. Grant Heffelfinger, Sandia National Laboratory
  • Professor Dianne Rahm, UTSA

Session A2: Energy Production and Energy Efficiency - BV 1.328 (Aula Canaria)

  • Session Chair: Professor Hazem Rashed-Ali
  • Dr. Dub Taylor, State Energy Conservation Office
  • Professor Yassin Hassan, Texas A&M University
  • Mr. Mike Blevins, TXU, Inc.
  • Professor Michael Neuman, Texas A&M
  • Professor Ibrahim Dincer, University of Ontario

6:00 p.m.

Reception Frio Street Building Terrace

May 2nd, 2008

9:00 a.m.

Panel B: A Path to Sustainability - BV 1.326

  • Moderator: Professor Harriet Romo
  • Dr. Michael Miller, SWRI
  • Professor Laurie Fowler, University of Georgia
  • Dr. Robert Harris, Lake-Flato Architects
  • Professor Jane Davidson, University of Minnesota

10:30 a.m.

Coffee Break

10:50 a.m.

Parallel Sessions
Session B1: Emerging Technologies - BV 1.326

  • Session Chair: Professor Dianne Rahm
  • David Ransom, SWRI
  • Dr. Juan Fernandez, Los Alamos National Laboratory
  • Professor Stathis Michaelides, UTSA
  • Professor Michael McElroy, Harvard University
  • Dr. Upendra Rohatgi, Brookhaven National Laboratory

Session B2: Social, Policy and Educational Challenges - BV 1.328

  • Session Chair: Professor Kevin Grant
  • Ing, Odon D. de Buen Rodriguez, President, Energia Tecnologia y Education
  • Professor Elizabeth Pate, UTSA
  • Tom Smith, Austin
  • Professor Carmen Fies, UTSA

12:50 p.m.

Closing Remarks BV 1.326
Professor Robert Gracy, VP Research, UTSA