2019 Schedule

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11:30am and 12:30pm in 146-147 Stepan Chemistry Hall - Materials Characterization Facility Tours

Register now to tour the Materials Characterization Facility (MCF) and learn about the amazing instruments and techniques our researchers are using to identify and measure the next generation of materials. The tour will be for amateurs and professionals alike, but space is limited. Register here

A group of 28 engineers and scientists have proposed a bold new plan to create an energy corridor along the US-Mexico border. This park would incorporate natural gas plus wind and solar power, along with desalinated water from both coasts, to create an economic zone of industry, education, and agriculture. Luciano Castillo, Purdue University's Kenninger Professor of Renewable Energy and Power Systems, lead of the consortium, will explain how this idea could transform the region while increasing border security. Notre Dame faculty involved in the project are Kenneth Christensen, Viola D. Hank Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, and Harindra Joe Fernando, Wayne and Diana Murdy Family Professor of Engineering.

11:30am and 12:30pm in 100 Facilities Building - Power Plant Tours

Register now to tour Notre Dame’s gas turbine building and power plant. Learn about campus energy production from those who run the operation. Space is limited and restricted to registrants with Notre Dame IDs. Register here

Notre Dame's coal pile will soon be relegated to the bins of history. Work has begun on the new hydroelectric plant on the St. Joseph River, the new East Plant is handling thousands of tons of geothermal capacity, and efficiencies have lowered overall energy usage by nearly six percent. Learn about these and other initiatives from Paul Kempf, assistant vice president for utilities and maintenance. A Notre Dame alumnus, Kempf has worked with the Office of Sustainability to implement the University's Comprehensive Sustainability Strategy.

11:30am and 12:30pm in 100 Facilities Building - Power Plant Tours

Register now to tour Notre Dame’s gas turbine building and power plant. Learn about campus energy production from those who run the operation. Space is limited and restricted to registrants with Notre Dame IDs. Register here

As the climate crisis looms, many are taking a second look at nuclear power as a necessary solution to the massive amounts of energy needed if carbon-based fuels are to be phased out quickly. The U.S. Department of Energy, the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems, and NuScale Power are working to create a small modular nuclear plant at the Idaho National Laboratory site by the mid-2020s. Dr. Youssef Ballout, Director of the Reactor Systems Design & Analysis Division at the Idaho National Laboratory, will talk about the project and the future of nuclear energy.

11:30am and 12:30pm in 100 Stinson-Remick Hall - Solar Panel Tours

Register now to tour the solar panels on the roof of Stinson-Remick Hall. After a short introduction about the panels, participants will have time on the roof to see them up close. Be sure to bring your camera! Space is limited and restricted to registrants with Notre Dame IDs. Register here

7- 8pm in 136 DeBartolo Hall - Bringing Power to Native Americans

Sandra Begay, Director of Environmental Health for the City of Albuquerque, will speak about her life as a Native American woman engineer. Awarded for her work with tribal renewable and alternate energy projects, she has mentored dozens of American Indian interns and worked in three different national research laboratories. Daughter of a Navajo tribal leader and public health nurse, one of her mentors was a female rocket scientist who was the first known woman American Indian engineer. In 2019, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed her to serve a four-year term on the Board of Regents for the University of New Mexico.

11:30am - 3pm at the Eck Visitor Center - ND for the Environment

ND Energy, the Office of Sustainability, the Sustainability Minor, and the Notre Dame Alumni Association will join forces on Football Fridays to inform fans and visitors about environmental initiatives on campus. A special event this year will be the introduction of Notre Dame’s new Grind2Energy system that will help create one of the first food-waste free lunches on campus. ND Energy’s famous smoothie bike will also be available for free drinks.

Two ND alumni, Timothy Keller, mayor of Albuquerque, NM, and Khalil Shalabi, Executive VP with the Lower Colorado River Authority, will discuss the City of Albuquerque's plan to transition to 100% renewable energy over the next four years. Shalabi will share his extensive experience in the energy market and suggest additional strategies for moving toward low-carbon electricity production.

The Sustainability Expo allows students to explore professional development opportunities and to seek career advice from employers, researchers, and educators in the areas of energy, the environment, and sustainability studies. Students will learn about current research projects, academic and experiential learning programs, internships, and job openings in these areas. This event is held in partnership with the Fall Career Fair and is open to undergraduate and graduate students at Notre Dame.

Downloads:
2019 Energy Week Schedule Poster
2019 Energy Week Schedule Screen Ad
2019 Energy Week Schedule Classroom Slide (JPG)