Energy Odyssey: Reflections, Innovations, and Opportunities in the Energy Transition
This seminar embarks on an odyssey through the transformative journey of energy-focused initiatives within Cornell’s College of Engineering, spanning from 2012 to 2024. Framed by a theme of “back to the future of energy,” this session will kick off the seminar series by reflecting on how the significant transformation of our society’s energy portfolio over the past 12 years informs bold projections for the next 12 years. Highlighting key milestones and interdisciplinary collaborations, it provides a lens into the present landscape of energy transition research and a forward-looking vision aligned with Cornell’s 2035 plan. The energy transition spans disciplines, encompassing advancements in energy storage technologies, the hydrogen economy, geothermal systems, solar energy, the circularity of energy materials, and the critical intersections of policy and technology. This semester’s seminar series will capture these diverse aspects, showcasing Cornell as a living laboratory for innovation and collaboration. The seminar also features an interactive dialogue, encouraging participants to explore their own projections for the energy transition over the next decade. By fostering engagement and reflection, it aims to inspire bold ideas and catalyze collaborations that address the challenges of the energy transition and contribute to solutions that truly “do the greatest good.”
Bio: Tobias Hanrath, the Croll Professor in Engineering in the R.F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Cornell, received a B.S. from University of Tulsa (2000), M.S. from University of Texas at Austin (2002) and Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin (2004). He served as Postdoctoral Research Fellow, MIT (2005) Postdoctoral Research Fellow, TU Eindhoven, and The Netherlands (2006-2007) before coming to Cornell.