Typically, engineers and scientists fail to engage in the policy-making process, the consequence of which is an incoherent mix of national energy policies that accidentally undermine each other, fail to achieve strategic aims, or are impossible from the outset. The Webber Energy Group at the University of Texas at Austin is seeking to rectify this problem by bridging the divide between policymakers and engineers & scientists for issues related to energy and the environment. For our research, we apply our technical skills to analyze the societal context of our research problems. We bring the scientific method and technical expertise to bear on policy-oriented research questions as a way to inform decision-makers and help get the world onto a better energy path.
| Wednesday, January 15, 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1:00–2:00 | Dr. Michael E. Webber | Welcome, Intro, Global Energy Trends, Look Back at 2024, and Group Overview |
| 2:00–2:30 | Dr. Yael Glazer | Embodying Sustainability: Updates on Our Efforts in the Food-Energy-Water Nexus and Circular Economy |
| 2:30–3:00 | Sarah Reynolds | Well-Rounded: Pathways for a Circular Economy in Oil and Gas |
| 3:00–3:15 | Eesha Bilal | Understanding the Environmental Tradeoffs of 3D Printing with Waste Plastics |
| 3:15–3:45 | Break | |
| 3:45–4:15 | Dr. Emily Beagle | Contextualizing Hydrogen Emissions and Impacts: Recent Work |
| 4:15–4:45 | Laura Rivera | Determining life cycle emissions for hydrogen production tax credits under the IRA & geologic hydrogen |
| 4:45–5:15 | Léa Daniel | Hydrogen Transportation Corridor from Houston to Los Angeles |
| 5:15–5:30 | Break | |
| 5:30–6:00 | Dr. Harry Kennard | Seagrass Meadows to the Rescue |
| 6:00–6:30 | Dr. Emily Beagle | Whats up next for Federal and State Energy Policy? Looking towards the new Administration and Texas Lege Session |
| 6:30–7:15 | Reception (and group photo) | |
| 7:15–9:00 | Dinner | |
| Thursday, January 16, 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8:00–8:30 | Dr. Joshua Rhodes | Can Demand Really be This Demanding? |
| 8:30–9:00 | Emily Arnim | Considerations for the Austin Energy Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan to 2035 |
| 9:00–9:30 | Break | |
| 9:30–10:00 | Drew Kassel | Connectin’ Texans |
| 10:00–10:15 | Rob Kasten | Building Nuclear in Texas for the First Time in 30 Years |
| 10:15–10:30 | Melina Katsiroumba | How does putting a price on emissions affect the fuel mix in ERCOT? |
| 10:30–10:45 | Break | |
| 10:45–11:15 | Andrew Igdal | At What Cost? A Comprehensive Tool for Transmission Project Costing |
| 11:15–11:45 | Dr. Harry Kennard | Torque Talk: Electric Motors, Past, Present and Future |
| 11:45–12:00 | Dr. Michael E. Webber | Improving Global Energy Literacy |
| 12:00–1:00 | Lunch | |
| 1:00 | Adjourn | |
Thank you for your support with investments of money, expertise, and time. This symposium is our way of saying thank you. Your support gives us the ability to perform research that stands the test of time and the resources we need to convey that research to policymakers and the general public. We couldn’t do it without you.