A "Transforming Energy" Lecture
by Yue Qi
July 12, 2012

Abstract

Dramatic improvements have been made in computational techniques at different scales in the past few decades. This presentation briefly overviews how computational materials modeling has been integrated with research on lightweight energy storage materials in the auto industry. By transferring parameters, equations, and insights obtained from smaller to larger scales, combining and overlapping techniques has moved materials modeling into a truly multi-scale era. To improve Al alloy forming and machining, atomic simulations were integrated into aluminum high temperature forming modeling and used to guide a coating development to machine aluminum alloys. In another case, a coarse-graining approach was developed to obtain the morphologies of hydrated Nafion for fuel cells, where the network connectivity of hydrophilic domains strongly influences the proton conductivity and mechanical property of the membrane. Materials modeling did not stop at explaining existing data or confirming experimental findings, but it made an experimentally testable prediction for optimizing material structures and processing conditions before material synthesis. Predictive capability can lead to more efficient energy conversion and longer lasting materials.

Biography

Yue Qi is a staff research scientist working on computational materials sciences at the General Motors R&D Center Materials and Processes Lab. Her research spans hard coatings, lightweight alloys, proton exchange membranes, and various nano-structured materials for energy storage. She completed her B.S. degree (materials science and computer science) at Tsinghua University, China in 1996. She received her Ph.D. in materials science (minor in computer science) from California Institute of Technology in 2001. She then joined GM as a senior research scientist.

She received the 2006 GM Campbell Award for “Advances in Nano-scale Plasticity.” She was the co-recipient of 1999 Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology for Theoretical Work with T. Cagin and Prof. W. A. Goddard III (Ph.D. advisor).

A "Transforming Energy" Lecture
by Vice Adm. Dennis V. McGinn
May 17, 2012

Abstract

Vice Adm. McGinn will discuss the relationship of the United States’ energy, economic, and environmental security challenges in the strategic context of our overarching national security. As daunting as these interlinked challenges appear, they provide significant opportunities for the United States to move beyond a short-term "business as usual" approach to a position of global energy technology leadership. Universities play a critical role in helping us seize these opportunities and create a more secure, healthy and prosperous America.

Biography

Vice Adm. Dennis V. McGinn, USN (retired) is the president of the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE), a 501(c)(3) membership non-profit organization dedicated to creating a more secure and prosperous America with clean, renewable energy.

Admiral McGinn is a naval aviator, test pilot and national security strategist. He has served as Director of the Air Warfare Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; the Commander of the U.S. Third Fleet; and the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Warfare Requirements and Programs in the Pentagon.

Admiral McGinn brings to ACORE his significant national experience in efforts to highlight the close link between energy, climate and national security. He is a strong advocate for innovative government policy, public and private partnerships, and investments that will promote clean energy growth and innovation.

A "Transforming Energy" Lecture by James L. Connaughton
April 27, 2012

Abstract

The Honorable James L. Connaughton, former Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and current Executive Vice President and Senior Policy Advisor of Exelon Corporation, will discuss how the powerful combination of expanded competition and customer choice, IT integration, and smarter government policy will drive greater innovation, better pricing, and significantly accelerated environmental improvement in our energy system in the U.S. and globally. Mr. Connaughton will also discuss what is
working and not working in both the marketplace and political arenas toward achieving that outcome.

Biography

James L. Connaughton directs Constellation Energy’s environmental and energy policy matters, as well as public and government affairs. Prior to joining Constellation Energy in 2009, Mr. Connaughton served as chairman, White House Council on Environmental Quality from 2000-2009. In this capacity, he served on President Bush’s senior staff as senior environment, energy, and natural resources advisor, and as director of the White House Office of Environmental Policy.

Internationally, he helped establish a broad series of technology initiatives, the public-private Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate Change, and the Major Economies Leaders Meetings on Energy and Climate, in which Mr. Connaughton served as the president’s personal representative. He also played a leading role in other major initiatives that included new air quality standards, major reductions in air pollutionfrom a variety of stationary and mobile sources, plus several other significant conservation, preservation, and restoration initiatives. Prior to his public service, Mr. Connaughton was a partner in the environmental practice group at the law firm Sidley Austin, where he played a leading role in the development and implementation of the ISO 14000 series of international environmental management and performance standards.

Mr. Connaughton is a member of the Board of Directors of CENT (a nuclear energy joint venture) and a member of the Board of Governors of the Argonne National Laboratory. He is also on the Board of Directors of the National Aquarium Institute and a Trustee of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. A native of Maryland, he is a graduate of Yale University and graduated second in his class, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from the Northwestern University School of Law. In 2008, Northwestern University honored him with its Distinguished Alumni Award.

Focus 2012: Solar Energy

April 26, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Kay Boardrooms and Rotunda
Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building, College Park, MD
Co-sponsored by the University of Maryland Energy Research Center and the University of Maryland Office of Sustainability

The agenda for the workshop is as follows:

Morning Session: Unified Kay Boardrooms

Afternoon Sessions: Parallel Speakers: Divided Kay Boardrooms

Kay Boardroom East

Kay Boardroom West

Afternoon Session II: Unified Kay Boardrooms

Focus 2012: Solar Energy

As a special opportunity for Clark School and University of Maryland students, the Clark School is holding a video competition in conjunction with the 2012 Engineering Sustainability Workshop, whose focus is on solar energy.

Just announced!

Our judges for this year's competition will be Professor Ray Adomaitis (chemical and biomolecular engineering), Assistant Professor Krista Wigginton (civil and environmental engineering) and FOX45 News Reporter (and UMD alum!) Joel D. Smith!

Guidelines for the Competition

Goal of the Competition

The Clark School of Engineering seeks to reduce its carbon footprint by reducing the energy consumption of its buildings and laboratories. The video competition seeks to engage students in this mission by encouraging them to develop solutions utilizing solar photovoltaic and/or thermal energy.

Eligibility

The video competition is open to individual current Clark School students at the graduate and undergraduate levels, and to teams of current Clark School and non-Clark School University of Maryland students, also at the graduate and undergraduate levels, as long as at least one member of any team is a Clark School student.

Questions to be Answered in the Video

Each video must answer the following questions in a two-minute presentation:

1. Target: What Clark School building, and what specific aspect of that building’s energy consumption, does your solar energy solution target? (More than one building may be targeted.)
2. Method: How would you minimize the targeted building’s power consumption using solar energy? Describe the technology that you would use to reduce consumption, including as appropriate the role of people who manage and work in the building.
3. Local Impact: Based on your best estimates, what would be the cost of implementing your solution and how much energy consumption would your solution achieve during one year of implementation?
4. Broader Impact: Why does reducing energy consumption matter not only for our campus but also for our nation and the world?

Submission

Post your video on YouTube and mark it as Unlisted. Submit the link for the video and the name(s), email(s), year(s) and major(s) of the video’s creator(s) to clark-communications@umd.edu  no later than 5 p.m., April 13, 2012.

Selection

A committee of Clark School faculty members will select the winning videos based, in large part, on their success in answering the questions listed above.

Prizes

The committee will offer:

• One (1) Graduate-Level Prize: $500, presentation of the video at the workshop, and a link to the video from the Clark School web site
• One (1) Undergraduate-Level Prize: $500, presentation of the video at the workshop, and a link to the video from the Clark School web site

Sustainability does not happen by chance. It must be engineered.

That’s why, each year on or near Earth Day in April, the Clark School invites its own faculty members and students, interested people from other University of Maryland schools, and guest speakers from industry and government, to come together for the Clark School’s Engineering Sustainability Workshop.

The goal of the workshop is to present and propose ways to maximize technology's positive impact on the long-term availability of natural resources, and to minimize its negative impact. The workshop offers presentations, demonstrations, and discussions in which all may participate. At the conclusion of the workshop, a list is made of new ideas for sustainability initiatives proposed by attendees; this list will be posted on this website for future reference and possible development and execution.

We encourage all to join us and contribute new ideas for engineering sustainability.

This event is co-sponsored by the University of Maryland Energy Research Center and the University of Maryland Office of Sustainability.

This is a free event. No registration required.

A Whiting-Turner Lecture: April 26, 2012

Biography

Stephen Zaminski founded Solar Gen 2 in the summer of 2010. Prior to Solar Gen 2, he co-founded Starwood Energy Group. In 2008, Zaminski and his partners at Starwood Energy Group successfully closed a $433 million dedicated energy fund. Zaminski co-led Starwood Energy Group’s fund investment strategy having committed to over $3.5 billion of enterprise value energy assets. Overall, Zaminski has more than 20 years of power industry experience having participated in the closing of more than $11 billion of transactions. Prior to Starwood, Zaminski was an investment banker – initially with Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown’s Global Energy and Utilities Group followed by McManus & Miles. Prior to Deutsche Bank, Zaminski worked as a management consultant, advising Fortune 500 energy industry clients.  In 1996, Zaminski founded Horizon Financial – a mortgage brokerage business that he later sold. Zaminski began his career with UltraSystems Development Corporation, an independent power developer now owned by LG&E. He is a frequent industry speaker at events sponsored by Platts, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, the Environmental Protection Agency, Energy Securities Analysis, Inc., and the California Energy Commission. Zaminski holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the Clark School, where he is on the Board of Visitors. He received an MBA, graduating with honors, from the Wharton School.

Abstract

What is the most challenging aspect of implementing solar power on a large scale?  Politics.  Navigating the long and risky journey from proven technology to installed and functioning solar power generation requires not only technical knowledge but also strong interpersonal skills.  In this lecture, Clark School alumnus and Board of Visitors member and Wharton MBA Stephen P. Zaminski, CEO of Solar Gen 2, shows how he has learned to work with federal, state and local politicians, utilities, the local community in California's Imperial Valley, the capital market participants and all of the stakeholders who will help determine his company's long-term success.  He has much to teach students and faculty members in engineering, business and public policy who dream of realizing alternative energy solutions through entrepreneurship.

Thank you for your interest in the Whiting-Turner Business & Entrepreneurial Lecture Series!

Click here to download the Fall 2011 lecture series program here (PDF).

Click here to visit the lecture series homepage.

A Whiting-Turner Lecture: October 20, 2011

Biography

Jenny Regan is CEO of Key Tech, a technology development firm she co-founded in 1998 in Baltimore. Key Tech consults with global product companies in medical, industrial and consumer markets, commercializing new technologies into medical devices and precision instruments. Key Tech also develops and owns a portfolio of new product intellectual property and prototypes for license or sale. Recent Key Tech projects include several molecular diagnostic instruments, drug delivery instruments, portable blood analyzers, glucose meters, thermal imaging cameras, and patient respiration monitors. The company has 25 full time engineers and designers, many of whom graduated from the Clark School.  

Ms. Regan is a registered Professional Engineer holding a B.S. in physics from Georgetown University and a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the Catholic University of America.  Prior to Key Tech, she consulted with power industry and medical clients at MPR Associates in D.C. and at Corey Regan Inc., which she also co-founded. Her work has contributed to the advancement of fluid flow measurement, control systems and precision diagnostic instruments. Ms. Regan holds patents and has published papers in proceedings of the ISA, the ANS, and the ASME.

Outside of Key Tech, Ms. Regan is chair of the Advisory Board for the Clark School's  Women in Engineering Program, a board member at a technology incubator and a regional manufacturing institute, and a regular mentor for students and young professional entrepreneurs in the greater Baltimore-D.C. technology community.

Abstract

In just a few years, our parents and children will be sitting at the kitchen table running their own genetic tests and auto-injecting their therapies. As medical instruments move from central labs and hospitals to remote clinics and home, new product development increasingly requires intuitive user-focused design while integrating ever more complex technology. From patient monitors to home diagnostic and therapeutic instruments, to “everyday” drug delivery, the rules are changing. Ms. Regan will discuss current issues surrounding medical product design during this paradigm shift, including:

• Key trends contributing to the home migration of devices
• Similarities and differences between medical and consumer electronics that impact development
• Key teamwork success factors while developing complex medical technologies for the home
• The role of US competitiveness in the new consumer medical device development era

A Whiting-Turner Lecture: May 5, 2011

Biography

Asghar Mostafa has spent more than 25 years creating and building category-defining technology companies. He founded Entourage Systems, Inc. (ESI), the first company in the world to introduce a dual-display e-reader and Tablet netbook in one multimedia device, the Entourage eDGe™.

Previously, Mostafa was founder, president and CEO of Vinci Systems, provider of interoperable broadband optical network terminals. Mostafa also founded Advanced Switching Communications, Inc. and ISDN Systems Corporation (ISC). He served as vice president and general manager of the new broadband access division of U.S. Robotics/3Com, after U.S. Robotics bought ISC.

Earlier in his career, Mostafa was vice president of product development for the telecommunications division of Data General. Prior to Data General, Mostafa co-founded and served as vice president of engineering for ICOM, an early entrant in the field of fixed-wireless communications.

Mostafa holds a Master's degree in computer science and Master's and bachelor's degrees in electrical engineering from George Washington University. He currently serves on the board of Entourage Systems, Inc., LTI DataComm, Mostafa Venture Fund, LLC, and the George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Executive National Advisory Council.

Abstract

Innovation drives the economy of nations and at this time we are not creating enough innovators. The world is beating us in many aspects of the education process and turning out excellent students with whom ours will compete. As a country we need to find the competitive nature of education to drive new learning practices and new education models. We need to use technology to excite students about technology and innovation. We need to create an educational environment with tools that allow students to dream of the future today and innovate it tomorrow.

• How can we convert our current education systems to to produce more innovators?
• How can we maintain our competitive edge in the global marketplace?