Some of you got to see Calestous Juma, Director of the Science, Technology, and Globalization Project for the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard speak at Innovation Day. (see Michelle's post below for a summation if you didn't get a chance.)
He talked some about the project he was involved in--One Laptop per Child (OLPC). The Give One/Get One 2008 program kicks off today where you can buy one of the XO laptops (seen in the picture) on amazon.com for $199 to donate to a child in a developing country, or $399 to donate one and get one for yourself.
Professor Quyen Nguyen gave me (Michelle) and Bright two Solar Cell kits to use at future science education outreach events. We're hoping to put them together and try to wire them to power a small toy fan. If anyone else is interested in working with us on this project, please let us know.
Presented by the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, the International panel for Sustainable Resource Management, and the Institute for Energy Efficiency
Topics include: - Why developing countries need dramatic increases of energy and resource productivity - Frontiers of energy efficiency research - Biofuels - Measuring environmental impacts: Carbon footprints and Material Flow Analysis - Business strategies to reduce environmental impacts - Economic instruments to improve energy efficiency and resource productivity - Government policies to improve energy efficiency and resource productivity
I'm in Dr. Wudl's class this quarter (Chem 239). We are now having student presentations on topics related to Organics in energy conversion and storage. Last week we talked about thermoelectrics, and starting on Monday I will give a presentation on Dye-sensitized solar cells. You are all welcome to show up for my (and others) presentations. Some of the other topics are listed below.
Thermoelectrics Dye-sensitized Solar Cells Inorganic Solar Cells Organic Solar Cells CO2 reduction H2 Fuel Cells Methanol Fuel Cells Static Batteries Portable Batteries
The class meets MWF 11-12 Phelps 3505.
-Alexis
I attended EXAFS school at the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Lab. This was an intensive 3 day course that included multiple lectures on the theory of x-ray absorbance spectroscopy, extensive time on a beamline and a fair amount of instruction on using IFEFFIT software to interpret data. Overall, this experience was great but exhausting, between the travel, the work, and time change, I am still tired. But it was worth it.
Innovation Day – UCSB’s Technology and Entrepreneurial experts bringing solutions to our current and long-term societal challenges. Sponsored by UCSB’s Technology Management Program (TMP), Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, and ConvEne IGERT.
10:00AM
UCSB Research Showcase. UCSB science and engineering students presented their research in the fields of energy, environment, IT/telecom, and lifescience/healthcare.
12:00PM
Professor John Greathouse from TMP gave an interesting opening speech about the goals of the Technology Management Program – “to give UCSB students an unfair advantage in technology entrepreneurship” by providing them with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed in the field. I found it notable that Professor Greathouse stressed that “wealth is more than money” and presented three examples of how the pursuit of eco-entrepreneurship and technological innovation can build spirit and mind in addition to bank accounts:
Work-life balance is important. Success in business is a “hollow victory” without friends and family to share it with.
Giving back to the community can strengthen your company’s local image as well as provide you with a sense of purpose.
Doing Well by Doing Good. Relationships based on trust are essential to maintaining working alliances with clients and investors.
Professor Susannah Scott presented the ConvEne IGERT program goals (see the website: http://www.convene.ucsb.edu/), specifically, to develop a new type of education and training program for students who will become leaders in the fields of energy conversion research and entrepreneurship. She also encouraged students to look beyond innovation within just the U.S. and understand that the growing global energy and environmental challenges require technological improvements and diffusion on a grander, global scale.
12:15PM
Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Developent and Director of the Science, Technology, and Globalization Project for the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard gave a lecture entitled Entrepreneurship and Globalization: Challenges and Opportunities.
Highlights:
“Grand Challenges for Engineering,” a recent publication by the National Academy of Engineering, which identifies 14 achievable and sustainable opportunities for innovation which would help people and the planet thrive in the 21st century. Action areas include making solar energy economical, providing access to clean water, restoring and improving the urban infrastructure, and others. See http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/.
Professor Juma believes that the role of universities will develop in two ways: localization efforts and globalization efforts. In a local effort, universities will take a bigger role in sustainability practices within their communities. Global efforts will include creating international connections to share knowledge and technologies.
Professor Juma asserted that the greatest challenge to eco-entrepreneurship is not the absence of technology and funding, but the unwillingness for people to make big changes, or to “think outside the box.” The diffusion of renewable energy technology into commercial wide-spread use has been slowed by the resistance of “incumbent forces,” or society’s long-term commitments to certain practices and energy infrastructures. An example of an incumbent force is the QWERTY keyboard. Although the QWERTY layout may not be the most efficient or ergonomic, it is firmly rooted in American culture and would be difficult to replace even if a superior product were available. Professor Juma noted that a way for alternative technology advocates to avoid the opposition of incumbent forces is to introduce the technology in a location that is not already firmly rooted in a particular practice or infrastructure – e.g., introduce off-grid solar energy in Africa.
Unfortunately this is when I had to scoot on to class and lab. If any other ConvEne IGERT Fellows went to the following talks, care to post your thoughts? - Michelle S.
1:30PM C. Thomas Hopkins - The New Venture Road Map
Some of you got to see Calestous Juma, Director of the Science, Technology, and Globalization Project for the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard speak at Innovation Day. (see Michelle's post below for a summation if you didn't get a chance.)