November 12, 2018

Western Energy & Water Forum (Jan. 23-26) to highlight Duke University expertise

Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions

Several Duke University faculty, fellows, and researchers will share their expertise at the Western Energy & Water Forum on Jan. 23-26, 2019. The Duke University Energy Initiative is the 2019 Academic Partner for this invitation-only gathering organized by the Colorado Energy & Water Institute (CEWI) in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

The event will bring together North American leaders for a meaningful conversation about the future of energy and water.

The forum's first keynote will be a conversation between Duke University senior fellows Norman Bay and Jim Rogers, moderated by Energy Initiative director Brian Murray. Bay is the former chair of FERC and a partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, LLP. Rogers is the former CEO of Duke Energy and author of Lighting the World: Transforming our Energy Future by Bringing Electricity to Everyone.

Duke's Kyle Bradbury will moderate a panel on energy data analytics, which will include alumni Evan Anderson (Oseberg) (T'04) and Justin Segall (Simple Energy) (T'05) as well as Wayne Greenberg (ESource). Bradbury is the managing director of Duke's Energy Data Analytics Lab, a collaborative effort of the Energy Initiative (which houses it), Rhodes Information Initiative (Rhodes iiD), and Social Science Research Institute.

Nicholas School of the Environment faculty member Lori Bennear will moderate a panel on energy company strategies for managing water operational risk. Panelists include Duke researchers Erika Weinthal (Nicholas School) and Amy Pickle (Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions) as well as Sheila Olmstead (University of Texas – Austin).

Other confirmed participants include Patricia Collawn (chairman, president & CEO, PNM Resources); Bill Ritter (former Colorado governor and director of the Center for the New Energy Economy, Colorado State University); Mike McInnes (CEO of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association); Martin Keller (director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory); and Gitane DeSilva (Alberta's senior representative to the U.S.). 

View the full agenda here

"Duke University's strategic plan includes a commitment to deploy the university's resources to develop effective solutions for energy and water challenges," notes Energy Initiative director Brian Murray. "This event offers an excellent opportunity for faculty and alumni to engage in substantive dialogue with leaders in the sector to advance resilient energy and water systems."

Attendance at the Western Energy & Water Forum will be limited to 150 participants. Duke alumni interested in participating should contact Stacy Peterson, assistant director for student and alumni engagement.