Professor Paul will discuss dynamics of the technology system, workforce development, and economic growth through the effective interaction of government policies, industrial opportunities, and academic programs as applied to the energy sector. This linkage is of particular importance in the energy sector, where a dynamic balance of economic opportunities, public policy objectives, and environmental requirements are demanded from the system. The combination of large scale infrastructures, large capital deployments, long-lived assets, and technological intensity create the need for a much more integrated and multi-disciplinary approach to effective R&D and the development of the future workforce. This is particularly visible in the ongoing growth in the areas of “Digital Energy” and “Intelligent Infrastructures,” which represent the major intersection of advancing information and control technologies with the large-scale infrastructures associated with oil and gas, fuel, and electric power. Rapid diversification of electric power generation sources, combined with emergence of the “Smart Grid” is a specific area demanding new combinations of technology and workforce capabilities. Developing an effective environment to meet these challenges will require forging new and enhanced linkages between government, industry, and academia.
Paul will speak on how developing innovative intersections of government, industry and academia is addressing the challenges for energy R&D, technology demonstration and deployment, and advancing workforce education and development. The mission of USC Energy Institute is to address these challenges and opportunities by developing partnerships directed at complex, integrated energy systems and infrastructures. USC Energy Institute programs span the range of energy systems from natural resource development to power grid systems operations to the role of consumer behavior in energy efficiency. Programs are focused in particular on demonstrations at scale and providing experimental energy infrastructures to validate advanced energy and information technologies. The USC Smart Grid Living Laboratory was created to utilize the 50,000 person campus community and infrastructure as an experimental mini-city to develop and validate research. Specific research areas include technologies in energy informatics, cyber-security, energy efficiency, human and social behaviors, and electric vehicle system integration.
Speaker
Donald Paul
Donald Paul is Executive Director of the USC Energy Institute, Professor of Engineering, and William M. Keck Chair of Energy Resources at the University of Southern California. The USC Energy Institute supports major initiatives with government and industries including Oil & Gas, Electrical and Transportation Infrastructures. Dr. Paul had a distinguished 33-year career with Chevron Corporation, retiring in June 2008 as VP and Chief Technology Officer. Dr. Paul currently serves as a Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington D.C. and in 2010, was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Energy to the National Petroleum Council. He participates in advisory roles at several universities, governments, national laboratories, oil and gas companies, utilities, and technology firms. He holds BS, MS and PhD degrees from MIT and an honorary doctorate from the Colorado School of Mines.