Kauffman Entrepeneurial Scholars Kenneth Lotito, Mario Dal Col and Patrick McLaughlin have gathered speakers for the University’s first Sustainable Energy Symposium. Lotito, Dal Col and McLaughlin applied for KEY at the Center for Entrepreneurship because of concern about climate change.
Lotito, Dal Col and McLaughlin were selected for the tuition-free program for the 2007-08 academic year. The symposium will be on the River Campus on Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5.
“We feel that the University has the resources to contribute to the energy challenge, and we wanted to bring people together to get them excited about it,” McLaughlin said.
The symposium will include many nationally and state-known speakers. The three students found speakers for the weekend’s events by researching on the Web and using their network of contacts. Speakers will include a representative from the National Center of Excellence on SMART Innovations for Urban Climate and Energy at Arizona State University, President and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority Paul Tonko, and chair of the Department of Environment and Society at Utah State University Joseph Tainter.
Among the topics to be discussed are renewable technology and economic development, global energy challenges, technical solutions and funding for new energy sources.
The students intend for their work to continue after they graduate. “We believe the symposium and summer program could continue,” McLaughlin said. “As we continue to keep bringing up these topics and fresh ideas. People on campus will think they actually can affect change.”
Schneier is a member of the class of 2011.
