Roche's presentation will have a particular emphasis on how Winchester’s electricity supply program, WinPower, aligns with and accelerates progress towards the State’s climate goals. Most residential and small business users in Winchester receive their electricity supply from WinPower, which provides 88% renewable electricity by default - substantially more renewables than the State minimum. Patrick will provide an overview of the WinPower program, and explore its sources of power as well as how its renewable energy is tracked and verified. Patrick will also zoom out to provide context for renewables on the broader New England electricity grid, the decarbonization and renewable energy targets of the five states, and major challenges to and opportunities for reaching those targets.
Patrick Roche is the Director of Innovation for Good Energy, which manages Winchester’s WinPower program, along with similar electricity aggregation programs for over 70 other cities and towns in Massachusetts. Also known as community electricity, aggregation empowers local governments to create new electricity options for their entire community, providing the benefits of large scale power procurement to residents and small businesses. At Good Energy, Patrick oversees renewable energy strategies, focusing on leveraging municipal aggregation programs to expand clean energy on our New England grid while maintaining competitive prices for consumers. Prior to joining Good Energy in 2019, Patrick served as the Assistant Director of Clean Energy at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council in Boston. He received his bachelors of arts in Environmental Policy from Colby College.
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
November 22nd- Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good Computers?
On November 22nd Walter Hubbard, President of PC QuickHelp, will talk about Why Bad Things Happen to Good Computers. Perhaps this has happened to you? Your computer is running fine and then: Wham! Maybe a software problem, or a printer problem, or worse yet, you’ve been hacked!! PC or Mac – makes no difference. Stuff happens! Walter Hubbard has been in the computer business for thirty years solving these very issues. He will discuss some simple and not-so-simple solutions. The most important to you is to prevent the hacking. Every week, he sees people being hacked out of thousands of dollars. He will tell you how to protect yourself by protecting your computer, your passwords, and your life savings. Join us in this very informative session that everyone can use.
Walter Hubbard founded PC QuickHelp in 1996 after recognizing that small businesses and homes need quick computer service to solve everyday problems. Walter has been helping users with computers since 1969. He has worked as a design engineer and a field engineer for General Electric Turbine Systems and as a program manager for Data General. In 1963 at the age of twelve, Walter’s Science Fair project was a Solar PhotoVoltaic cell powering a motor. Ever since, he has been enthralled with energy production earning a BSME at University of Rhode Island in power engineering. Upon graduating, he designed components of nuclear power plants for Stone and Webster and then later designing, installing, and troubleshooting steam turbine generators for General Electric in nuclear and fossil power plants. In the late 70s he was a formative part of several volunteer alternative energy groups. In 1982, Walter earned his MBA at the University of Michigan emphasizing Solar PhotoVoltaic Engineering and Energy Economics. Since then, Walter has been a financial and engineering consultant to the waste to energy industry, and more recently a computer consultant to small businesses and individuals. Walter practices what he preaches by driving an electric vehicle and heating and cooling with heat pumps powered in part by solar panels and a Powerwall battery at his home. Walter has been involved in several volunteer boards including Winchester Finance Committee, Winchester Town Meeting, Winchester Youth Lacrosse, and more recently on the board for the Winchester Chamber of Commerce. Walter is a certified Professional Engineer and a Certified Microsoft Professional.
Walter Hubbard founded PC QuickHelp in 1996 after recognizing that small businesses and homes need quick computer service to solve everyday problems. Walter has been helping users with computers since 1969. He has worked as a design engineer and a field engineer for General Electric Turbine Systems and as a program manager for Data General. In 1963 at the age of twelve, Walter’s Science Fair project was a Solar PhotoVoltaic cell powering a motor. Ever since, he has been enthralled with energy production earning a BSME at University of Rhode Island in power engineering. Upon graduating, he designed components of nuclear power plants for Stone and Webster and then later designing, installing, and troubleshooting steam turbine generators for General Electric in nuclear and fossil power plants. In the late 70s he was a formative part of several volunteer alternative energy groups. In 1982, Walter earned his MBA at the University of Michigan emphasizing Solar PhotoVoltaic Engineering and Energy Economics. Since then, Walter has been a financial and engineering consultant to the waste to energy industry, and more recently a computer consultant to small businesses and individuals. Walter practices what he preaches by driving an electric vehicle and heating and cooling with heat pumps powered in part by solar panels and a Powerwall battery at his home. Walter has been involved in several volunteer boards including Winchester Finance Committee, Winchester Town Meeting, Winchester Youth Lacrosse, and more recently on the board for the Winchester Chamber of Commerce. Walter is a certified Professional Engineer and a Certified Microsoft Professional.
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
On November 8th, Peter Ciriscioli will speak with us on Autonomous Vehicle Policy Issues.
Peter Ciriscioli joins us to speak on Autonomous Vehicle Policy Issues. Autonomous Vehicle developers have relied on “miles driven” to evaluate AV safety performance and public road Autonomous Vehicle testing has posed safety problems, resulting in a large number of injuries and fatalities. This talk examines the current state of Autonomous Vehicle safety and suggests that more effective Autonomous Vehicle safety validation processes can be modeled after proven processes used in the Aerospace and Defense industries.
Peter Ciriscioli has extensive development experience with ground vehicles, aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft including a number of different ICBM programs and satellites. He has successfully developed complex ground vehicles and vehicle systems: He led the development of the BAE Systems MRAP family of vehicles for deployment during the Iraq War and also led the development of the successful proof of concept vehicle for the DoD’s HMMWV replacement, the CTV. In parallel with that effort, Peter led the development of the BAE Systems JLTV. and the initial development of the first hybrid electric drive for armored vehicles. Peter received a patent for a vehicle armored window system and has received recognition from the Secretary of Defense for his work in vehicle development and vehicle survivability.
Prior to his vehicle development work, Peter led the successful development of a new molecule which is currently used in the secondary carbon fiber composite structures of almost all commercial aircraft manufactured since 1997. Peter wrote 37 FAA approved material, process, and manufacturing specifications for the LearFan aircraft, which is now displayed in Boeing’s Museum of Flight, and his patented fire shield material was used on the nonstop globe-circling Rutan Voyager aircraft, now displayed in the Smithsonian Institution. Peter developed the manufacturing processes and composite material “design allowables” for the equipment section of the Trident II (D5) missile. In addition to the USA, Peter has worked in the UK, Belgium, Germany, Italy, France, Israel, Zambia, India, Japan and Australia. Peter is currently an independent consultant who helps companies innovate to improve cash flow.
Peter received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University for his work to develop an expert system which cures advanced composite materials.
Peter Ciriscioli has extensive development experience with ground vehicles, aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft including a number of different ICBM programs and satellites. He has successfully developed complex ground vehicles and vehicle systems: He led the development of the BAE Systems MRAP family of vehicles for deployment during the Iraq War and also led the development of the successful proof of concept vehicle for the DoD’s HMMWV replacement, the CTV. In parallel with that effort, Peter led the development of the BAE Systems JLTV. and the initial development of the first hybrid electric drive for armored vehicles. Peter received a patent for a vehicle armored window system and has received recognition from the Secretary of Defense for his work in vehicle development and vehicle survivability.
Prior to his vehicle development work, Peter led the successful development of a new molecule which is currently used in the secondary carbon fiber composite structures of almost all commercial aircraft manufactured since 1997. Peter wrote 37 FAA approved material, process, and manufacturing specifications for the LearFan aircraft, which is now displayed in Boeing’s Museum of Flight, and his patented fire shield material was used on the nonstop globe-circling Rutan Voyager aircraft, now displayed in the Smithsonian Institution. Peter developed the manufacturing processes and composite material “design allowables” for the equipment section of the Trident II (D5) missile. In addition to the USA, Peter has worked in the UK, Belgium, Germany, Italy, France, Israel, Zambia, India, Japan and Australia. Peter is currently an independent consultant who helps companies innovate to improve cash flow.
Peter received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University for his work to develop an expert system which cures advanced composite materials.
Thursday, October 31, 2024
On Friday, October 25 join Winchester's Sustainability Director, Ken Pruitt to discuss the progress of the Town's Climate Action Plan.
On Friday, October 25, Ken Pruitt, Sustainability Director for the Town of Winchester, will discuss Winchester’s Climate Action Plan, his role implementing it, and progress and challenges in implementation. The CAP includes 69 measures in the areas of energy, buildings, transportation, solid waste and climate resilience. Ken will also discuss ongoing projects and initiatives such as the Lynch Elementary School, which will be Winchester’s first net zero energy building; two new high-speed electric vehicle charging stations located in the Jenks-Town Hall parking lot, a proposed stricter building energy code up for adoption at Fall Town Meeting, and other topics.
Ken Pruitt became Winchester's first Sustainability Director in 2021. Prior to joining Winchester, he spent four years as Energy Manager for the Town of Arlington, located in the Department of Planning and Community Development. As Arlington's Energy Manager, Ken was the Town’s lead on energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, electric vehicle acquisition and charging infrastructure, the Arlington Community Electricity program, building electrification, municipal energy supply, and net zero planning. Prior to working for the Town of Arlington, Ken served as Director of Conservation for the Town of Boxford and went on to become Executive Director of the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions and then the Environmental League of Massachusetts. He earned a Master of Forest Science degree from the Yale School of the Environment and a BA in Political Science and International Studies from Macalester College. Ken has been a Winchester resident since 2010 and, since 2014, an elected member of Town Meeting.
Ken Pruitt became Winchester's first Sustainability Director in 2021. Prior to joining Winchester, he spent four years as Energy Manager for the Town of Arlington, located in the Department of Planning and Community Development. As Arlington's Energy Manager, Ken was the Town’s lead on energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, electric vehicle acquisition and charging infrastructure, the Arlington Community Electricity program, building electrification, municipal energy supply, and net zero planning. Prior to working for the Town of Arlington, Ken served as Director of Conservation for the Town of Boxford and went on to become Executive Director of the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions and then the Environmental League of Massachusetts. He earned a Master of Forest Science degree from the Yale School of the Environment and a BA in Political Science and International Studies from Macalester College. Ken has been a Winchester resident since 2010 and, since 2014, an elected member of Town Meeting.
Monday, October 21, 2024
On October 11th join our Generative AI Panel Discussion with Ron Smith, Bernhard Suhm, and Marv Goldschmitt.
On October 11th the speakers who met with in September have been invited back for an open conversation with us. I hope that you will come prepared to discuss your thoughts on the advances in AI as well as the challenges that confront people all over the planet.
In my experience, technologists have been historically reluctant to become involved in public policy and yet in our technologically intense world the absence of technological input is a concern to me. I saw a recent article in the New York Times by writer James Pogue about Senator Chris Murphy. Pogue wrote “... the idea that modern life is a story of constant economic and technological progress steadily making the world a better place has stopped lining up with how Americans feel.” Senator Murphy (D-Conn) and Governor Spencer Cox (R-Utah) have launched a national conversation with the intent to restore the common good. They look to involving intellectuals and activists. Notably, technologists do not seem to be included in their thinking. Maybe they were not considered/invited. In any case, we need to become part of the conversation.
There is a lot of good that has come from technology in health care, for example, and more to come. But I am equally certain that technology can be and is being used abusively. The misinformation and disinformation that appear in social media are examples. The changes in AI that began in November 2022 with Generative AI are remarkable. GenAI is not any new technology. This one is shattering. But I suppose that to the average thoughtful person, the telephone must have been shattering. Just as the Model T. What is different is the case of GenAI is that it does not just add a new dimension to our lives, it presents technology as a force beyond nature. It allegedly thinks and feels though it is not clear on what scale and in what detail it compares to human thinking. But we don’t really understand the particulars of how humans think. I worry that technology may be heading so far out front of humans that people may begin to distrust science and technology on a level that is unprecedented today. That would be disaster from my perspective.
Technology and technologists have crucial roles to play in my view in medicine, meeting energy demand, addressing climate change, k-12 education (which has been on my radar screen for decades) and so much more. My hope is that we have learned some lessons from the history of the Internet and The Web that may help lead to a responsible and accountable advance of AI into our social fabric. My sense, however, is that GenAI has the potential to be supremely useful and also supremely abusive (personal, socially, culturally) and the tech giants who are moving it at breakneck speed are driven by age old motivation...fear (of losing market share) and greed (fear of losing market share) rather than societal benefit.
In my experience, technologists have been historically reluctant to become involved in public policy and yet in our technologically intense world the absence of technological input is a concern to me. I saw a recent article in the New York Times by writer James Pogue about Senator Chris Murphy. Pogue wrote “... the idea that modern life is a story of constant economic and technological progress steadily making the world a better place has stopped lining up with how Americans feel.” Senator Murphy (D-Conn) and Governor Spencer Cox (R-Utah) have launched a national conversation with the intent to restore the common good. They look to involving intellectuals and activists. Notably, technologists do not seem to be included in their thinking. Maybe they were not considered/invited. In any case, we need to become part of the conversation.
There is a lot of good that has come from technology in health care, for example, and more to come. But I am equally certain that technology can be and is being used abusively. The misinformation and disinformation that appear in social media are examples. The changes in AI that began in November 2022 with Generative AI are remarkable. GenAI is not any new technology. This one is shattering. But I suppose that to the average thoughtful person, the telephone must have been shattering. Just as the Model T. What is different is the case of GenAI is that it does not just add a new dimension to our lives, it presents technology as a force beyond nature. It allegedly thinks and feels though it is not clear on what scale and in what detail it compares to human thinking. But we don’t really understand the particulars of how humans think. I worry that technology may be heading so far out front of humans that people may begin to distrust science and technology on a level that is unprecedented today. That would be disaster from my perspective.
Technology and technologists have crucial roles to play in my view in medicine, meeting energy demand, addressing climate change, k-12 education (which has been on my radar screen for decades) and so much more. My hope is that we have learned some lessons from the history of the Internet and The Web that may help lead to a responsible and accountable advance of AI into our social fabric. My sense, however, is that GenAI has the potential to be supremely useful and also supremely abusive (personal, socially, culturally) and the tech giants who are moving it at breakneck speed are driven by age old motivation...fear (of losing market share) and greed (fear of losing market share) rather than societal benefit.
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
On September 27th, Bernhard Suhm will continue our conversation about Generative AI.
He will speak with us on Transforming Search Experiences with Semantic Search. The landscape of information retrieval has undergone a paradigm shift with the advent of semantic search technologies. Traditional keyword-based search methods often yielded inconsistent results, requiring users to navigate through extensive lists or documents to locate pertinent information, and familiarity with the jargon when searching specialized domains. This talk examines the transformative impact of semantic search and explores its subsequent developments. Semantic search, by leveraging natural language processing and machine learning algorithms, has significantly enhanced the relevance and accuracy of information retrieval. This technology is able to capture user intent, context, and the conceptual relationships between search terms and content. As a result, semantic search has markedly reduced the cognitive load on users, by delivering more relevant answers. The emergence of large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT brought AI and semantic retrieval on everyone’s minds. Haven’t we all tinkered with them, and are amazed what they can do? Not only can they answer complex questions in a dialog, they give advice on how to proceed, they diagnose issues and help you troubleshoot, they even deliver code and build whole systems.
Bernhard Suhm Ph.D., Principal, USpeak AI, has been applying AI to improving user experiences and solving business challenges his whole career. Prior to working as an independent consultant, he drove adoption of machine learning, vector search, and generative AI as a product marketer at Elastic, promoting how these capabilities enable more automation in observability, additional layers of security, and improved search experiences. In prior roles, Bernhard was product owner of the Machine Learning toolbox at MathWorks, and developed AI-powered call analytics to improve caller experiences and the delivery of customer service, influencing the handling of 100Ms calls working with Fortune 100 companies. He received a PhD in Computer Science specializing in speech user interfaces from Karlsruhe University in Germany, learned the ropes of user-centered design at Carnegie Mellon University, and has presented on speech recognition, caller experience analysis, and machine learning.
Bernhard Suhm Ph.D., Principal, USpeak AI, has been applying AI to improving user experiences and solving business challenges his whole career. Prior to working as an independent consultant, he drove adoption of machine learning, vector search, and generative AI as a product marketer at Elastic, promoting how these capabilities enable more automation in observability, additional layers of security, and improved search experiences. In prior roles, Bernhard was product owner of the Machine Learning toolbox at MathWorks, and developed AI-powered call analytics to improve caller experiences and the delivery of customer service, influencing the handling of 100Ms calls working with Fortune 100 companies. He received a PhD in Computer Science specializing in speech user interfaces from Karlsruhe University in Germany, learned the ropes of user-centered design at Carnegie Mellon University, and has presented on speech recognition, caller experience analysis, and machine learning.
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
We leadoff our new Wilson Forum season on Friday, September 13th
with Innovation Toronto’s Ron Smith, Marv Goldschmitt of AIUpdate, and Paula McConnell of Seva Digital who will lead us through An Introduction to and Test Drive of Generative AI. This session will begin with a brief history of AI and its meteoric evolution into virtually every aspect of life on our small planet. At this stage of history it seems that few people have had any direct experience with this technology. Our speakers consider it important that everyone should have such an opportunity and make judgments on the value of this technology for themselves as it is likely to impact them directly. Today is a test drive of an experiential chatbot designed to introduce non-technical people to our new reality and we will illustrate the potential of Ai with a few volunteers. There will be a few short videos that are illustrative of more advanced capabilities. I have had such an experience with the guidance of our guests and I can testify to the value of AI in matters of interest to me. But I am also confident that this technology can be abused. My hope is that we have learned some lessons from the history of The Internet and The Web, that likely pale by comparison, but may help lead to a responsible and accountable advance of AI into our social fabric. The session will conclude with Q and A as is our usual.
Ron Smith is an experienced innovator who left the for-profit world 34 years ago to apply entrepreneurial business principles to social needs. The focus in this time-line has ranged from the creation of innovative community projects, creation and implementation of local and foreign emergency disaster relief efforts to the global environmental imperative. His commitment to a positive, business-like and balanced approach to community, environment, education and related issues has helped attract some of the best minds in business, education, the environment and the community to work on pragmatic approaches that target the goal of a truly sustainable future. In 2007 Innovation Toronto was born. It began with Ron overseeing an online focus on the startup community in Toronto but quickly evolved to focus on the brilliant breakthroughs and discoveries that global science was bringing to the world. Since that time, Innovation Toronto has strived to showcase the best and brightest ideas that can be found from universities and research institutions worldwide. The ongoing overall mission is to help accelerate the development of the projects and ideas most likely to be of service in a time of local / global need. With the advent of generative artificial intelligence platforms he is deeply involved in exploring the possibilities and potential offered by AI to better promote the promise and wonders of science to the general public. See the attached for a more complete summary of Ron’s remarkable leadership over the years.
Marv Goldschmitt has been involved in the “bleeding” edge of the computer industry for 45 years. He brings a long history of high technology executive management and consulting experience to every engagement. He is a broad thinker who applies his skills to a variety of areas that are impacted by rapid changes in technology. Active in the evolving areas of information privacy and data governance he started and ran the first software industry lobbying organization to combat piracy and establish protection for software IP. He was a member of IBM’s Data Governance Council leading the privacy and security policy development team. Marv has a long interest and involvement with AI. In 1986 he worked with Nestor Inc., the first dedicated neural networking company. He was at IBM when Watson was being developed and then started a company to help job seekers combat the use of AI in resume screening. Marv has published numerous articles on business development strategies, security and data governance. He holds a BS from the State University of New York and an MS from the Medical College of Virginia/VCU, in psychology, is a professional photographer and spent a number of years as a meditation instructor. A short version of Marv’s unique history is included in the attached.
Paula McConnell, founder of Seva Digital, began her journey in technology at just four years old with an oscilloscope her father brought home from work at Hewlett Packard. With over a decade of experience in human-centered design and an MBA in Innovation and Technology Transfer, Paula has a rich background in creating impactful tech solutions, including a notable app developed in Nicaragua to assist smallholder farmers. Seva Digital is dedicated to empowering small business owners by offering tailored AI and technology solutions that enhance business efficiency, growth, and community engagement. As a sought-after speaker and workshop leader, Paula combines her profound expertise with a supportive and engaging approach, helping business leaders understand and implement AI technologies effectively. She acknowledges the hesitations many face in adopting new technology and is committed to guiding professionals through these transformative changes with empathy and insight. Paula encourages you to delve into AI with confidence, recognizing its potential to transform industries and enrich our professional lives, and is dedicated to advancing AI literacy to ensure everyone can navigate these advancements with clarity and awareness.
Ron Smith is an experienced innovator who left the for-profit world 34 years ago to apply entrepreneurial business principles to social needs. The focus in this time-line has ranged from the creation of innovative community projects, creation and implementation of local and foreign emergency disaster relief efforts to the global environmental imperative. His commitment to a positive, business-like and balanced approach to community, environment, education and related issues has helped attract some of the best minds in business, education, the environment and the community to work on pragmatic approaches that target the goal of a truly sustainable future. In 2007 Innovation Toronto was born. It began with Ron overseeing an online focus on the startup community in Toronto but quickly evolved to focus on the brilliant breakthroughs and discoveries that global science was bringing to the world. Since that time, Innovation Toronto has strived to showcase the best and brightest ideas that can be found from universities and research institutions worldwide. The ongoing overall mission is to help accelerate the development of the projects and ideas most likely to be of service in a time of local / global need. With the advent of generative artificial intelligence platforms he is deeply involved in exploring the possibilities and potential offered by AI to better promote the promise and wonders of science to the general public. See the attached for a more complete summary of Ron’s remarkable leadership over the years.
Marv Goldschmitt has been involved in the “bleeding” edge of the computer industry for 45 years. He brings a long history of high technology executive management and consulting experience to every engagement. He is a broad thinker who applies his skills to a variety of areas that are impacted by rapid changes in technology. Active in the evolving areas of information privacy and data governance he started and ran the first software industry lobbying organization to combat piracy and establish protection for software IP. He was a member of IBM’s Data Governance Council leading the privacy and security policy development team. Marv has a long interest and involvement with AI. In 1986 he worked with Nestor Inc., the first dedicated neural networking company. He was at IBM when Watson was being developed and then started a company to help job seekers combat the use of AI in resume screening. Marv has published numerous articles on business development strategies, security and data governance. He holds a BS from the State University of New York and an MS from the Medical College of Virginia/VCU, in psychology, is a professional photographer and spent a number of years as a meditation instructor. A short version of Marv’s unique history is included in the attached.
Paula McConnell, founder of Seva Digital, began her journey in technology at just four years old with an oscilloscope her father brought home from work at Hewlett Packard. With over a decade of experience in human-centered design and an MBA in Innovation and Technology Transfer, Paula has a rich background in creating impactful tech solutions, including a notable app developed in Nicaragua to assist smallholder farmers. Seva Digital is dedicated to empowering small business owners by offering tailored AI and technology solutions that enhance business efficiency, growth, and community engagement. As a sought-after speaker and workshop leader, Paula combines her profound expertise with a supportive and engaging approach, helping business leaders understand and implement AI technologies effectively. She acknowledges the hesitations many face in adopting new technology and is committed to guiding professionals through these transformative changes with empathy and insight. Paula encourages you to delve into AI with confidence, recognizing its potential to transform industries and enrich our professional lives, and is dedicated to advancing AI literacy to ensure everyone can navigate these advancements with clarity and awareness.
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
On June 28, Walter Hubbard will moderate a discussion on The Electric Grid and Climate Issues.
On Friday, June 28th we will wrap up our current year of The Wilson Forum. Walter Hubbard will moderate a discussion regarding our focus in 2023-2024 on electric generation and associated environmental issues. We will also describe plans for the 2024-2025 program, hopefully offered in a hybrid virtual/in person mode. This will be a table-setting meeting. Your input is important, so please login.
Also, note that we will take a summer break in July and August and resume our program for next season on September 13th, leading off with Generative AI.
Also, note that we will take a summer break in July and August and resume our program for next season on September 13th, leading off with Generative AI.
Friday, June 14, 2024
On Friday, June 14, 2024, Dr. Albert Moussa will answer the question, How Safe are the Friendly Skies?
While commercial air travel is an extremely safe mode of transport, accidents involving fire or explosion have occurred. Though very infrequent, they can have catastrophic consequences. These accidents are the driving force behind all safety recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board, regulations by the Federal Aviation Administration, and adoptions by industry. In this presentation, Dr. Albert Moussa will answer the question, How Safe are the Friendly Skies? Based on real-world examples, Albert will provide an overview of the main types of in-flight and post-crash fires involving aircraft engine, fuel tank, cabin and cargo compartments. He will also give examples of safety improvements of commercial aircraft and new challenges brought about by drone powered by electricity and hydrogen. He will present the highlights of a unique 3-day professional engineering course on Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation that he teaches annually.
Dr. Moussa is the Founder and Technical Director of BlazeTech Corp., a technology development and consulting company in the areas of safety, environment and energy. He specializes in combustion, fire and explosion working particularly for the aircraft and chemical industries. He got his B.S. from Stanford University and his MS and PhD from MIT. He has published widely including one book. Because of his forewarning about fuel tank vulnerabilities prior to the TWA 800 and Concorde disasters, he received coverage by the media, including the New York Times, CBS, BBC and several European journals. He has received the SAE/AIAA William Littlewood Memorial Lecture Award, Best Paper Awards (by AIAA and ASEI), and Engineer of the Year Award by the NE Section of AIAA and AIAA Distinguished Lecturer. He has served as Associate Editor of an ASME Journal and on several national committees. He has given guest lectures on this topic at the NTSB Training Center and at various Universities.
Dr. Moussa is the Founder and Technical Director of BlazeTech Corp., a technology development and consulting company in the areas of safety, environment and energy. He specializes in combustion, fire and explosion working particularly for the aircraft and chemical industries. He got his B.S. from Stanford University and his MS and PhD from MIT. He has published widely including one book. Because of his forewarning about fuel tank vulnerabilities prior to the TWA 800 and Concorde disasters, he received coverage by the media, including the New York Times, CBS, BBC and several European journals. He has received the SAE/AIAA William Littlewood Memorial Lecture Award, Best Paper Awards (by AIAA and ASEI), and Engineer of the Year Award by the NE Section of AIAA and AIAA Distinguished Lecturer. He has served as Associate Editor of an ASME Journal and on several national committees. He has given guest lectures on this topic at the NTSB Training Center and at various Universities.
Wednesday, May 29, 2024
On Friday, May 24th, Jane Kent will speak about Hospital Planning Going Forward.
She will speak on her work at The University of Michigan Medicine in maintaining the facilities documentation and how this is changing. The organization continues to grow and with it the amount of information that needs to be managed and effectively provided to its clients, all with a limited workforce. She will speak about the use of Matterport Scanning technology and the implementation of these scans in tracking and cataloging facility changes.
Jane Kent is currently a Business Process Consultant in the Facilities Documentation and Space Division of the Facilities Planning and Development Department for University of Michigan Medicine where she manages the Matterport Scanning project. Jane and her colleagues have led Michigan Medicine to become a world leading provider in healthcare, education and research. Jane worked for 13 years with City of Cambridge MA in the Traffic and Transportation Department, working closely with Planning Department to facilitate installation of traffic calming measures and safe bike routes throughout the city. After moving to Ann Arbor she worked with the city of Ann Arbor, continuing her work with bike safety and ultimately joined the Michigan Medicine documentation group. Jane is the youngest daughter of a historic figure in the evolution of The Jenks Center, Jim Kent.
Jane Kent is currently a Business Process Consultant in the Facilities Documentation and Space Division of the Facilities Planning and Development Department for University of Michigan Medicine where she manages the Matterport Scanning project. Jane and her colleagues have led Michigan Medicine to become a world leading provider in healthcare, education and research. Jane worked for 13 years with City of Cambridge MA in the Traffic and Transportation Department, working closely with Planning Department to facilitate installation of traffic calming measures and safe bike routes throughout the city. After moving to Ann Arbor she worked with the city of Ann Arbor, continuing her work with bike safety and ultimately joined the Michigan Medicine documentation group. Jane is the youngest daughter of a historic figure in the evolution of The Jenks Center, Jim Kent.
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
On Friday, May 10th, Peter Baldwin, Past President of Ramgen Power System (Ret.), will offer his perspectives on evolving Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) opportunities.
Ramgen Power Systems had successfully developed a supersonic CO2 compression technology with support from DOE-NETL and Dresser-Rand, intended for use in the, then emerging power generation CCS applications. Pete led all commercial discussions with CCS system developers, government agencies, users, and funders alike, worldwide. The CO2 compressor is located between the CCS capture system and the CO2 pipeline, requiring detailed knowledge of both systems and their operating parameters. The industry is now reconstituting itself to support the production of Blue H2, with the associated CO2 collected in the emerging CO2 Hubs. These CO2 Hubs and their piping systems will also support any CO2 Removal (CDR) projects, including the emerging Direct Air Capture (DAC) systems.
Peter Baldwin has been involved in all aspects of the gas turbine and compressor industries for almost 60 years, and has broad general industry knowledge and practice, based on years of global commercial interactions. Base-e; his Boston based independent consulting company focusing on practical product positioning and commercialization strategies for Distributed Energy Technologies, Gas Turbines, and various Air and Gas Compression interests. Pete is the immediate past President of Ramgen Power Systems, a Seattle-based developer of an advanced shock compression technology intended for use as a utility scale CO2 compressor in the, then developing Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) projects and applications. Ramgen has been supported through U.S. Department of Energy funding grants and by Dresser Rand as a strategic investor. Pete is also the past President of Northern Research and Engineering Corporation (NREC), a world-class turbomachinery design services organization, now doing business as part of Concepts/NREC. Prior to its sale to Concepts, NREC was a wholly owned subsidiary of Ingersoll-Rand. NREC was responsible for the development of Ingersoll-Rand’s PowerWorks Microturbine Technology, now offered by FlexEnergy. NREC was also responsible for an advanced gas turbine recuperator technology that has since been incorporated into the Rolls-Royce WR21 marine gas turbine engine, now operating successfully in the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer. NREC, in cooperation Westinghouse and Rolls-Royce, developed and tested the first 53% efficient Solid Oxide Fuel Cell/Gas Turbine Hybrid (SOFC/GT) at UC Irvine in the late 90’s. Prior to joining NREC, Pete had been Vice President of Sales and Service, North America for Ingersoll-Rand’s Air Compressor Group. Previously, and as the Air Compressor Group Marketing V-P, Pete negotiated and implemented a licensing agreement with Kawasaki Heavy Industries for a mixed-flow blower technology, and an MOU with Daewoo for an I-R Corporate JV in Korea. Pete also spent four years in Europe. The first assignment was as a Centrifugal Compressor Division Area Manager responsible for the UK and Scandinavia with the goal to reenergize the local sales effort. Pete was subsequently promoted to the position of Product Manager Centrifugal Compressor for Europe, Mid-East, and Africa, operating out of the Division manufacturing location in Milan, Italy. Pete returned to the U.S. as Product Manager for Rotary/Recip Compressors in U.S., Latin America, and Asia Pacific. Pete has been a Contributing Editor with Turbomachinery International magazine from 2000 to 2008, and Gas Turbine World since 2020. He has been an associate with Cambridge Energy Research Distributed Energy Practice (Now IHS). Pete Baldwin is a recognized and respected industry leader in the turbomachinery industry with a unique combination of technical understanding and real-world commercial experience. Pete holds a BSME degree from Purdue University.
Peter Baldwin has been involved in all aspects of the gas turbine and compressor industries for almost 60 years, and has broad general industry knowledge and practice, based on years of global commercial interactions. Base-e; his Boston based independent consulting company focusing on practical product positioning and commercialization strategies for Distributed Energy Technologies, Gas Turbines, and various Air and Gas Compression interests. Pete is the immediate past President of Ramgen Power Systems, a Seattle-based developer of an advanced shock compression technology intended for use as a utility scale CO2 compressor in the, then developing Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) projects and applications. Ramgen has been supported through U.S. Department of Energy funding grants and by Dresser Rand as a strategic investor. Pete is also the past President of Northern Research and Engineering Corporation (NREC), a world-class turbomachinery design services organization, now doing business as part of Concepts/NREC. Prior to its sale to Concepts, NREC was a wholly owned subsidiary of Ingersoll-Rand. NREC was responsible for the development of Ingersoll-Rand’s PowerWorks Microturbine Technology, now offered by FlexEnergy. NREC was also responsible for an advanced gas turbine recuperator technology that has since been incorporated into the Rolls-Royce WR21 marine gas turbine engine, now operating successfully in the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer. NREC, in cooperation Westinghouse and Rolls-Royce, developed and tested the first 53% efficient Solid Oxide Fuel Cell/Gas Turbine Hybrid (SOFC/GT) at UC Irvine in the late 90’s. Prior to joining NREC, Pete had been Vice President of Sales and Service, North America for Ingersoll-Rand’s Air Compressor Group. Previously, and as the Air Compressor Group Marketing V-P, Pete negotiated and implemented a licensing agreement with Kawasaki Heavy Industries for a mixed-flow blower technology, and an MOU with Daewoo for an I-R Corporate JV in Korea. Pete also spent four years in Europe. The first assignment was as a Centrifugal Compressor Division Area Manager responsible for the UK and Scandinavia with the goal to reenergize the local sales effort. Pete was subsequently promoted to the position of Product Manager Centrifugal Compressor for Europe, Mid-East, and Africa, operating out of the Division manufacturing location in Milan, Italy. Pete returned to the U.S. as Product Manager for Rotary/Recip Compressors in U.S., Latin America, and Asia Pacific. Pete has been a Contributing Editor with Turbomachinery International magazine from 2000 to 2008, and Gas Turbine World since 2020. He has been an associate with Cambridge Energy Research Distributed Energy Practice (Now IHS). Pete Baldwin is a recognized and respected industry leader in the turbomachinery industry with a unique combination of technical understanding and real-world commercial experience. Pete holds a BSME degree from Purdue University.
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Professor David Seidman will speak about Northwestern University’s Center of Atom Probe Tomography.
He will explain what is an atom-probe tomograph and then describe two examples of its use: (1) determination of the ratio of carbon 12 (99%) to carbon 13 (1%) in nanodiamonds extracted from a famous meteorite, Allende, which was thought to have been formed before our solar system was created, that is, greater than 4.5 billion years old. (2) the formation of silicon nanowires using aluminum as a catalyst and their complete chemical analysis using our atom-probe tomograph (APT). The APT results are combined with transmission electron microscopy results, which gives a detailed picture of the how the silicon nanowires grow. The need for nanoscale characterization, as in semiconductor chip fabrication which we heard about recently, emphasizes the need for such powerful characterization tools.
David is Walter P. Murphy Professor Emeritus of Materials Science and Engineering and the Founding Director of the Northwestern University Center for Atom-Probe Tomography (NUCAPT). David earned his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and M.S., and B.S. from New York University, all in Physical Metallurgy. He joined the Northwestern University faculty in1985. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, His current interests center on three high-temperature superalloys: aluminum-based, cobalt-based, and nickel-based. He is specifically interested in understanding the first-order phase transformations (precipitation) that occur in these alloys on an atomic scale utilizing atom-probe tomography (APT) and correlative instruments, which provide information at larger length scales: transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy. In the case of Nickel-based alloys he employs vacancy-mediated lattice kinetic Monte Carlo (LKMC) simulations, which complement and supplement the APT experiments and help to elucidate the mechanisms for nucleation, growth and coarsening.
David is Walter P. Murphy Professor Emeritus of Materials Science and Engineering and the Founding Director of the Northwestern University Center for Atom-Probe Tomography (NUCAPT). David earned his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and M.S., and B.S. from New York University, all in Physical Metallurgy. He joined the Northwestern University faculty in1985. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, His current interests center on three high-temperature superalloys: aluminum-based, cobalt-based, and nickel-based. He is specifically interested in understanding the first-order phase transformations (precipitation) that occur in these alloys on an atomic scale utilizing atom-probe tomography (APT) and correlative instruments, which provide information at larger length scales: transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy. In the case of Nickel-based alloys he employs vacancy-mediated lattice kinetic Monte Carlo (LKMC) simulations, which complement and supplement the APT experiments and help to elucidate the mechanisms for nucleation, growth and coarsening.
Friday, April 26, 2024
On Friday, April 12th, Historian Vincent Dixon, will speak on The Massachusetts Legislative Process.
The Right of Free Petition is a legally unique opportunity for all those in Massachusetts to file their own legislation, once each Legislative Session. This opportunity is not only Interesting but potentially important in legal capacities for reform. Vincent’s work as a historian allows him to add perspectives on issues of importance to the lives of our citizens that is unique, and, in our technologically intense world, to help identify, various leaders, including technology leaders, who can help serve the public interest in Winchester, Eastern Massachusetts, and the broader Commonwealth. He will also touch on The Expanded Massachusetts Agenda: A package of 45 pieces of proposed legislation, that offer potential solutions to a wide range of distinct, and interrelated problems.
Vincent Lawrence “Vince” Dixon is a known Historian, especially focused on presentations including Colonial History; Current Events, and their Relationship to History; Church-State Relationships, Evolutions, and Relationships with Civic Society; Parks, and Landscape History; and has taught, and tutored, as well. He has done work in curriculum development, is a frequently published columnist, and speaker; and responds to custom requests. MASS PRESENTATIONS (a dba brand, of Dixon’s) develops a wide variety of presentations, including media, curriculum, and published materials, across a wide range of audiences, and subject matter. Dixon has made many presentations, including to Winchester Historical Society: Religious Realities of Winchester: Houses of Worship and Communities of Faith; Schools of Winchester and Their Namesakes (including an exploration of The Lincolns of Massachusetts); Sports History of Winchester (A Virtual Event – by Zoom); and a History of Vaccination, Immunization, and Disease Prevention. He has also conducted Town Day Trolley Guided Tours; and will again, on this year’s Winchester Town Day, June 1, 2024; previous presentations to Cambridge Historical Society; and is periodically invited to teach classes in History, and Civics, at East Boston High School. Interestingly, Vince was home schooled K-12; earned his Associate in Arts, and his Bachelor of Arts Degree, cum laude, at the Harvard University Extension School and a Master of Education Degree at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. He studied with Dr. Thomas H. O’Connor, University Historian of Boston College, the long-time Dean of Boston Historians.
Vincent Lawrence “Vince” Dixon is a known Historian, especially focused on presentations including Colonial History; Current Events, and their Relationship to History; Church-State Relationships, Evolutions, and Relationships with Civic Society; Parks, and Landscape History; and has taught, and tutored, as well. He has done work in curriculum development, is a frequently published columnist, and speaker; and responds to custom requests. MASS PRESENTATIONS (a dba brand, of Dixon’s) develops a wide variety of presentations, including media, curriculum, and published materials, across a wide range of audiences, and subject matter. Dixon has made many presentations, including to Winchester Historical Society: Religious Realities of Winchester: Houses of Worship and Communities of Faith; Schools of Winchester and Their Namesakes (including an exploration of The Lincolns of Massachusetts); Sports History of Winchester (A Virtual Event – by Zoom); and a History of Vaccination, Immunization, and Disease Prevention. He has also conducted Town Day Trolley Guided Tours; and will again, on this year’s Winchester Town Day, June 1, 2024; previous presentations to Cambridge Historical Society; and is periodically invited to teach classes in History, and Civics, at East Boston High School. Interestingly, Vince was home schooled K-12; earned his Associate in Arts, and his Bachelor of Arts Degree, cum laude, at the Harvard University Extension School and a Master of Education Degree at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. He studied with Dr. Thomas H. O’Connor, University Historian of Boston College, the long-time Dean of Boston Historians.
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
On March 22, Boston Globe business reporter Jon Chesto will speak broadly about current events shaping Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Future
Jon Chesto covers the leaders who shape Boston’s business community. He has been reporting on business and politics in New England for the past two decades. Before joining the Globe, he was managing editor at the Boston Business Journal. Prior to that role, he was the business editor at The Patriot Ledger in Quincy. His weekly Ledger column, “Mass. Market,” won several national awards with the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. A graduate of Wesleyan University and Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism, he has also worked as a business reporter at the Boston Herald and as a political reporter with Ottaway Newspapers.
Monday, March 18, 2024
Richard Adler rejoins us on March 8th to revisit Bending the Law of Unintended Consequences: More Decision Support Models.
We witness the unintended consequences of critical decisions all around us, like Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter and the disastrous war in Gaza. My presentation for the Wilson Science and Technology group last year described a “test drive” method for improving critical policy and business decisions. Much like consumers try out cars before buying one, decision test drives help organizations explore the possible outcomes of decision options before committing to one alternative. This method helps leaders improve anticipation of the future and thereby avoid unintended outcomes. My follow-on talk will revisit the test drive method in more detail. I’ll present a rationale for our method by explaining how it improves upon existing decision support techniques. I’ll also describe our hybrid simulation approach, which improves realism in modeling the complex situational dynamics that shape decision outcomes. Finally, I’ll present a business example to illustrate these concepts. This test drive case study improves decisions about competitive marketing strategy in the pharmaceutical industry.
Rich Adler is a software architect, management consultant, and start-up executive. He spent most of his career building software tools and applications to improve business operations and critical decision-making. Richard worked for Control Data, MITRE, Computer Sciences Corporation, and three software start-up companies. Early in his career, Richard built AI programs, including one that automated operations support for the Launch Processing System for NASA’s Space Shuttle Fleet. As the founder of DecisionPath, he developed solutions to improve strategic decisions such as competitive marketing, counterterrorism, and organizational change, as described in his recent book Bending the Law of Unintended Consequences. Richard has published and spoken on topics including intelligent and distributed systems, simulation, homeland security, and knowledge management. Richard holds a BS degree in Physics and Philosophy (University of Michigan), an MS in Physics (University of Illinois at Urbana) and a PhD in Philosophy of Physics (University of Minnesota).
Rich Adler is a software architect, management consultant, and start-up executive. He spent most of his career building software tools and applications to improve business operations and critical decision-making. Richard worked for Control Data, MITRE, Computer Sciences Corporation, and three software start-up companies. Early in his career, Richard built AI programs, including one that automated operations support for the Launch Processing System for NASA’s Space Shuttle Fleet. As the founder of DecisionPath, he developed solutions to improve strategic decisions such as competitive marketing, counterterrorism, and organizational change, as described in his recent book Bending the Law of Unintended Consequences. Richard has published and spoken on topics including intelligent and distributed systems, simulation, homeland security, and knowledge management. Richard holds a BS degree in Physics and Philosophy (University of Michigan), an MS in Physics (University of Illinois at Urbana) and a PhD in Philosophy of Physics (University of Minnesota).
Thursday, March 7, 2024
On February 23rd, MIT Professor Jesus del Alamo will speak on the future direction of microelectronics, Microelectronics: Quo Vadis?
The COVID pandemic, in dramatic form, made evident the critical role that microelectronics plays in modern human society. Supply disruptions brought us the realization that semiconductor chips are like oxygen, only when we don’t have them we come to appreciate how much we depend on them for nearly every aspect of our lives. Indeed, countries around the world have all of a sudden recognized the strategic nature of semiconductor microelectronics and policies to foster on-shore production of the most advanced chips and to strengthen the robustness of supply chains are being enacted around the globe. Beyond its strategic importance, semiconductor microelectronics is a domain that wonderfully illustrates what human ingenuity can accomplish. For over 50 years now, the power of microelectronics has been increasing exponentially. While the popular press has been warning us of the impending “End of Moore’s Law”, technologists continue to push the technology forward. At any one time, they see 10 more years of continuous progress ahead. This talk will review the long march of microelectronics to this date and the opportunities and challenges going forward. In its late middle age, the field remains youthful and pregnant with possibilities.
Jesús A. del Alamo is the Donner Professor and Professor of Electrical Engineering at MIT. He obtained a Telecommunications Engineer degree from Polytechnic University of Madrid (Spain) and MS and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. In 1985 he joined Nippon Telegraph and Telephone LSI Laboratories in Japan and since 1988 he has been with the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science of Massachusetts Institute of Technology. From 2013 until 2019, he served as Director of the Microsystems Technology Laboratories at MIT. His current research interests are focused on nanoelectronics based on compound semiconductors and ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors and novel ionic and ferroelectric devices for artificial intelligence accelerators. Prof. del Alamo was an NSF Presidential Young Investigator. He is a member of the Royal Spanish Academy of Engineering and Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American Physical Society and the Materials Research Society. He is the recipient of the Intel Outstanding Researcher Award in Emerging Research Devices, the Semiconductor Research Corporation Technical Excellence Award, the IEEE Electron Devices Society Education Award, the University Researcher Award by Semiconductor Industry Association and Semiconductor Research Corporation, the IPRM Award and the IEEE Cledo Brunetti Award. From 2019 to 2022 he served as Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Electron Device Letters. He is the author of “Integrated Microelectronic Devices: Physics and Modeling” (Pearson 2017, 880 pages), a rigorous and up to date description of semiconductor physics, transistors and other contemporary microelectronic devices.
Jesús A. del Alamo is the Donner Professor and Professor of Electrical Engineering at MIT. He obtained a Telecommunications Engineer degree from Polytechnic University of Madrid (Spain) and MS and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. In 1985 he joined Nippon Telegraph and Telephone LSI Laboratories in Japan and since 1988 he has been with the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science of Massachusetts Institute of Technology. From 2013 until 2019, he served as Director of the Microsystems Technology Laboratories at MIT. His current research interests are focused on nanoelectronics based on compound semiconductors and ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors and novel ionic and ferroelectric devices for artificial intelligence accelerators. Prof. del Alamo was an NSF Presidential Young Investigator. He is a member of the Royal Spanish Academy of Engineering and Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American Physical Society and the Materials Research Society. He is the recipient of the Intel Outstanding Researcher Award in Emerging Research Devices, the Semiconductor Research Corporation Technical Excellence Award, the IEEE Electron Devices Society Education Award, the University Researcher Award by Semiconductor Industry Association and Semiconductor Research Corporation, the IPRM Award and the IEEE Cledo Brunetti Award. From 2019 to 2022 he served as Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Electron Device Letters. He is the author of “Integrated Microelectronic Devices: Physics and Modeling” (Pearson 2017, 880 pages), a rigorous and up to date description of semiconductor physics, transistors and other contemporary microelectronic devices.
Friday, February 16, 2024
On February 9th, Professor Angel Serrano Aroca of the Catholic University of Velencia (UCV) will speak about his work on Antimicrobial Face Masks, Face Shields and...Lipsticks.
Face masks and face shields are accepted to be effective protective tools to avoid bacterial and viral transmission, especially against indoor aerosol transmission. However, the commercial materials used to produce these tools are not capable of inactivating pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 or multidrug-resistant bacteria. Lipsticks are usually associated with higher physical, sexual and social attractiveness and are not generally made of antimicrobial materials either. In this context, we have developed new antimicrobial face masks and face shields with a biofunctional coating of benzalkonium chloride (BAK). These coatings were capable of inactivating SARS-CoV-2 in less than 1 minute of viral contact.
Moreover, the BAK coating was also effective against the life-threatening methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE). Other antimicrobial face masks can be developed using a low-cost technology consisting of a solidified hand soap coating. Bio-based technologies for the production of antimicrobial face masks can also be applied using cranberry extracts by dip-coating. A novel bio-based lipstick containing cranberry extract was also developed to prevent infections caused by a broad range of microorganisms: enveloped and non-enveloped viruses; multidrug-resistant bacteria like MRSA, Escherichia coli, and Mycobacterium smegmatis, a surrogate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis; and the Candida albicans fungus. Therefore, all these antimicrobial tools are very promising in the current antimicrobial-resistance era.
Moreover, the BAK coating was also effective against the life-threatening methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE). Other antimicrobial face masks can be developed using a low-cost technology consisting of a solidified hand soap coating. Bio-based technologies for the production of antimicrobial face masks can also be applied using cranberry extracts by dip-coating. A novel bio-based lipstick containing cranberry extract was also developed to prevent infections caused by a broad range of microorganisms: enveloped and non-enveloped viruses; multidrug-resistant bacteria like MRSA, Escherichia coli, and Mycobacterium smegmatis, a surrogate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis; and the Candida albicans fungus. Therefore, all these antimicrobial tools are very promising in the current antimicrobial-resistance era.
Monday, February 5, 2024
On Friday, January 26th, Dr. Robert Caligiuri , Corporate Vice President at Exponent, Inc., will describe An Example of the Challenges and Adventures of Failure Analysis and Risk Mitigation—The Camisea Pipeline System.
Engineering systems sometimes fail in service. Understanding the origin of such events can lead to improved design and increased performance life.
Funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the Camisea pipeline system in Peru was designed and built in the early 2000’s by the operator TGP to transport natural gas and natural gas liquids from the Amazon basin to the coast. The system traverses three distinct geographical regions: a tropical rain forest, a high elevation mountain range, and a coastal plain. Each region brought its own risks to pipeline integrity: flooding, mudslides, rockslides, earthquakes. Shortly after beginning operation, the pipeline system experienced five distinct leaks and ruptures, some of which impacted the indigenous population. Exponent was retained by the IADB to investigate the causes of these leaks and to develop measures to mitigate the risks of future failures. Given its multi-disciplinary nature, Exponent was uniquely qualified to conduct this investigation.
Bob Caligiuri is an internationally recognized leader in understanding the fracture and fracture mechanics of materials used in critical engineering systems. He holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from UC-Davis and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford. He specializes in combining the principles of solid mechanics with an understanding of the physical, mechanical and corrosion behavior of metals to solve complex problems in industrial applications. He has over 35 years of experience conducting failure investigations, root cause studies and risk assessments for clients in the petrochemical, consumer product and transmission pipeline industries throughout North America, Europe and Asia. He has specialized expertise in the use and application of the standards, codes and regulations that govern the design, operation, and maintenance of engineered systems. Bob Caligiuri is a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Bob Caligiuri is an internationally recognized leader in understanding the fracture and fracture mechanics of materials used in critical engineering systems. He holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from UC-Davis and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford. He specializes in combining the principles of solid mechanics with an understanding of the physical, mechanical and corrosion behavior of metals to solve complex problems in industrial applications. He has over 35 years of experience conducting failure investigations, root cause studies and risk assessments for clients in the petrochemical, consumer product and transmission pipeline industries throughout North America, Europe and Asia. He has specialized expertise in the use and application of the standards, codes and regulations that govern the design, operation, and maintenance of engineered systems. Bob Caligiuri is a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Thursday, January 18, 2024
On January 12th, Dr. Piotr Moncarz, XGS Energy, will speak on Geothermal Solutions.
The most under-utilized of all currently available energy sources, geological heat, is a principal topic of this discussion. With all the attempts to move the energy delivery balance of the world away from fossil fuels the needle barely moved, and even that resulted in major as-of-yet unresolved questions related to intermittency of wind and solar energy, battery storage raw materials mining, processing, and disposal, nuclear power plant long development and construction time, and for many countries, exorbitant initial cost. The delivery of geological heat to the surface has many prior and current technological attempts, some of them could never scale, some of them demand supplies of precious water, some of them laden with technological challenges beyond todays state-of-the-art. The most recent efforts labeled “enhanced geothermal systems” (EGS) are striving to address some of those problems. Heat of a high temperature is needed for electricity generation, while heat at lower temperature can be used in direct applications e.g. district heating. Thus, more than one solution might eventually emerge from the current unprecedented effort towards delivery of commercially viable geological heat. With the parallel efforts of development towards revolutionary drilling technologies, high temperature sensors and electronic operating systems, the fulfillment of the dream of using the energy under our feet to address once and for all the sustainable, economically viable energy supplies at every place on Earth is around the corner.
Dr. Piotr d. Moncarz, is a Co-Founder and Vice Chair, and CEO for the initial years of XGS Energy, Inc., a company focused on closed loop harvesting and delivery of geological heat from very hot rock. He serves as Adjunct Professor at the School of Engineering and the School of Sustainability at Stanford University. He graduated from Road and Bridge Vocational School, Poznan, Poland; with a final Ph.D. degree from Stanford University. He joined California firm, Failure Analysis Associates, today Exponent, where he has worked on issues of engineering design and project analysis including risk management, failure prevention, and correcting project failures. As a corporate officer he participated in taking Exponent public and building it into a world‘s leading engineering and scientific consulting company. For over 30 years he has been actively involved in energy projects with international and domestic project development, plant restructuring, and acting in an advisory role in national energy policies in resurging economies. Passionate about delivering a solution to the keystone element of environmental, climate, and geo-political stability: ubiquitous, green, no water, no land-grab, 24/7 energy supply - GeoHeatTM (www.xgsenergy.com ). He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, Fellow of American Society of Civil Engineers, member of numerous US and international energy, environmental, and engineering societies, registered professional engineer in numerous U.S. states and provinces of Canada, educator and professional leader.
Dr. Piotr d. Moncarz, is a Co-Founder and Vice Chair, and CEO for the initial years of XGS Energy, Inc., a company focused on closed loop harvesting and delivery of geological heat from very hot rock. He serves as Adjunct Professor at the School of Engineering and the School of Sustainability at Stanford University. He graduated from Road and Bridge Vocational School, Poznan, Poland; with a final Ph.D. degree from Stanford University. He joined California firm, Failure Analysis Associates, today Exponent, where he has worked on issues of engineering design and project analysis including risk management, failure prevention, and correcting project failures. As a corporate officer he participated in taking Exponent public and building it into a world‘s leading engineering and scientific consulting company. For over 30 years he has been actively involved in energy projects with international and domestic project development, plant restructuring, and acting in an advisory role in national energy policies in resurging economies. Passionate about delivering a solution to the keystone element of environmental, climate, and geo-political stability: ubiquitous, green, no water, no land-grab, 24/7 energy supply - GeoHeatTM (www.xgsenergy.com ). He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, Fellow of American Society of Civil Engineers, member of numerous US and international energy, environmental, and engineering societies, registered professional engineer in numerous U.S. states and provinces of Canada, educator and professional leader.
Friday, December 29, 2023
On Friday, December 22nd, Professor Noam Eliaz of Tel Aviv University will speak on Additive Manufacturing by Directed Energy Deposition – Opportunities and Challenges.
Directed energy deposition (DED) is a branch of additive manufacturing (AM) processes in which a feedstock material in the form of powder or wire is delivered to a substrate on which an energy source such as laser beam, electron beam, or plasma/electric arc is simultaneously focused, thus forming a small melt pool and continuously depositing material, layer by layer. Noam will overview the main aspects of these processes and their use in advanced materials design and synthesis, three-dimensional printing of complex items, and repair. The relationship between process parameters, microstructures, and mechanical properties of various DED’ed materials will be presented.
Noam is the Dean of The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering at Tel-Aviv University. He is the founder of its Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He is also an endowed chair professor and the founding director of TIET/TAU Center of Excellence on Advanced Manufacturing at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology in India, and the Chief Scientist of SGS Dental Implant. He was elected to The Israel Young Academy and to the US National Academy of Inventors (as a Senior Member). He was awarded with the title Professor Honoris Causa of the Transylvania University of Braşov in Romania, and has won numerous awards, including TMS 2024 Leadership Award, ECS Electrodeposition Division Research Award, The Israel Vacuum Society (IVS) 2021 Excellence Award for Research, NACE International’s Fellow, Technical Achievement, and Herbert H. Uhlig awards.
Noam is the Dean of The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering at Tel-Aviv University. He is the founder of its Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He is also an endowed chair professor and the founding director of TIET/TAU Center of Excellence on Advanced Manufacturing at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology in India, and the Chief Scientist of SGS Dental Implant. He was elected to The Israel Young Academy and to the US National Academy of Inventors (as a Senior Member). He was awarded with the title Professor Honoris Causa of the Transylvania University of Braşov in Romania, and has won numerous awards, including TMS 2024 Leadership Award, ECS Electrodeposition Division Research Award, The Israel Vacuum Society (IVS) 2021 Excellence Award for Research, NACE International’s Fellow, Technical Achievement, and Herbert H. Uhlig awards.
Monday, December 18, 2023
On Friday, December 8th Professor Ahmed Ghoniem will speak on Fuels Beyond Fossil: Why, What and When?
On the road to decarbonize energy, power and propulsion systems, electrification (using low carbon electricity from renewables, nuclear or with CCS) of different sectors such as transportation, buildings and industry, is being pursued deliberately and successfully. However, some areas, especially the mobile types such as long distance (air, water and ground) transportations, are more challenging. Others include industries that need high temperature heat and long-term energy storage. For these sectors, using energy-dense chemical fuels, such as hydrogen and its carriers, and biomass sourced fuels, are promising alternatives. The first are very different than conventional fuels, and the second while similar are limited by the supplies. Scaling to meet the rising demand pose its own challenges, and infrastructure requirements need significant investment. I will discuss about why we will continue to need fuels in some sectors of the economy; the different options available now and what may be on the horizon, some of the technologies and related economic and infrastructure questions.
Ahmed F. Ghoniem is the Ronald C. Crane Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Director of the Center for Energy and Propulsion Research at MIT. He received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degree from Cairo University, and Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley. His recent research focus has been on clean energy technologies with focus on oxy-combustion for CO2 capture, renewable energy, biofuel and solar fuel production. He supervised more than 120 graduate students and post-doctoral students; published more than 500 articles in leading journals and conferences; and consulted for the aerospace, automotive and energy industry. He is fellow of the ASME, the APS, and the Combustion Institute, and associate fellow of the AIAA. He received several awards but most proud of the “Committed to Caring Professor” at MIT.
Ahmed F. Ghoniem is the Ronald C. Crane Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Director of the Center for Energy and Propulsion Research at MIT. He received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degree from Cairo University, and Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley. His recent research focus has been on clean energy technologies with focus on oxy-combustion for CO2 capture, renewable energy, biofuel and solar fuel production. He supervised more than 120 graduate students and post-doctoral students; published more than 500 articles in leading journals and conferences; and consulted for the aerospace, automotive and energy industry. He is fellow of the ASME, the APS, and the Combustion Institute, and associate fellow of the AIAA. He received several awards but most proud of the “Committed to Caring Professor” at MIT.
Tuesday, November 21, 2023
On Friday, November 17th State Senator Mike Barrett will join our Forum meeting and speak on the tandem goals of expanding clean energy infrastructure and contracting natural gas infrastructure in Massachusetts.
In his words, “Thank you for the invitation to speak at the Wilson Forum. I appreciate the opportunity. I want to discuss a challenge that underlies a good number of the current conversations around climate policy. Perhaps the highest-profile issue of the moment is expanding the infrastructure for transmitting and distributing electric power around Massachusetts so that the system can take in power from new solar and wind projects and distribute it to EV chargers and heat pumps. But what’s not talked about is a corresponding need on the other side of the ledger -- to contract the infrastructure for transmitting and distributing natural gas. As a matter of simple affordability, not to mention of greenhouse gas reduction, the dual imperatives to expand the distribution of clean electricity and contract the distribution of polluting natural gas are a matched set and need to move forward in tandem. I look forward to discussing with you how this might be done.”
Mike Barrett is the State Senator for Bedford, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Lincoln, Waltham, Weston, and large parts of Lexington. He serves as Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy. He also serves as Assistant Majority Leader of the Democrats in the State Senate. Mike was the chief architect of An Act Creating a Next Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy and An Act Driving Climate Policy and Offshore Wind. The bills became law in 2021 and 2022, respectively. By common agreement, they position Massachusetts among the leading states in the nation on steps taken to deal with global warming. Mike is a graduate of Harvard College and the Northeastern University School of Law, and is a member of the Massachusetts Bar. He’s married, lives in Lexington, and is the father of twin daughters.
Mike Barrett is the State Senator for Bedford, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Lincoln, Waltham, Weston, and large parts of Lexington. He serves as Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy. He also serves as Assistant Majority Leader of the Democrats in the State Senate. Mike was the chief architect of An Act Creating a Next Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy and An Act Driving Climate Policy and Offshore Wind. The bills became law in 2021 and 2022, respectively. By common agreement, they position Massachusetts among the leading states in the nation on steps taken to deal with global warming. Mike is a graduate of Harvard College and the Northeastern University School of Law, and is a member of the Massachusetts Bar. He’s married, lives in Lexington, and is the father of twin daughters.
On November 10th, Professor Chris Knittel of MIT’s Sloan School will speak on Climate Policy and The Electric Grid.
He will describe how markets work, generally, and the economics of climate change. He will address how different types of policies affect those market outcomes and discuss what the Inflation Reduction Act and the BiPartisan Infrastructure Law does and what we might expect from it in terms of impact of CO2 emissions. The economics of climate change and its impact on the electric grid and consumer costs will be considered. The following link would be useful preparation for this discussion: http://knittel.world
Christopher Knittel is the George P. Shultz Professor of Applied Economics in the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also the Director of MIT’s Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research which has served as the hub for social science research on energy and the environmental since the late 1970s. Professor Knittel also co-directs of The E2e Project, a research initiative between MIT and UC Berkeley to undertake rigorous evaluation of energy efficiency investments. He joined the faculty at MIT in 2011, having taught previously at UC Davis and Boston University. Professor Knittel received his B.A. in economics and political science from the California State University, Stanislaus in 1994 (summa cum laude), an M.A. in economics from UC Davis in 1996, and a Ph.D. in economics from UC Berkeley in 1999. His research focuses on environmental economics, studying how firms and consumers respond to policies. He is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research in the Productivity, Industrial Organization, and Energy and Environmental Economics groups. He is the co-editor of the Journal of Public Economics, and an associate editor of the Journal of Transportation Economics and Policy, and Journal of Energy Markets, having previously served as an associate editor of The American Economic Journal -- Economic Policy and The Journal of Industrial Economics. His research has appeared in The American Economic Review, The American Economic Journal, The Review of Economics and Statistics, The Journal of Industrial Economics, The Energy Journal and other academic journals.
Christopher Knittel is the George P. Shultz Professor of Applied Economics in the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also the Director of MIT’s Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research which has served as the hub for social science research on energy and the environmental since the late 1970s. Professor Knittel also co-directs of The E2e Project, a research initiative between MIT and UC Berkeley to undertake rigorous evaluation of energy efficiency investments. He joined the faculty at MIT in 2011, having taught previously at UC Davis and Boston University. Professor Knittel received his B.A. in economics and political science from the California State University, Stanislaus in 1994 (summa cum laude), an M.A. in economics from UC Davis in 1996, and a Ph.D. in economics from UC Berkeley in 1999. His research focuses on environmental economics, studying how firms and consumers respond to policies. He is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research in the Productivity, Industrial Organization, and Energy and Environmental Economics groups. He is the co-editor of the Journal of Public Economics, and an associate editor of the Journal of Transportation Economics and Policy, and Journal of Energy Markets, having previously served as an associate editor of The American Economic Journal -- Economic Policy and The Journal of Industrial Economics. His research has appeared in The American Economic Review, The American Economic Journal, The Review of Economics and Statistics, The Journal of Industrial Economics, The Energy Journal and other academic journals.
Tuesday, October 31, 2023
On Friday, October 27th, Zeyneb Magavi of the Home Energy Efficiency team, HEET, will speak on Cutting Carbon Emissions: Geothermal Energy.
She will share an unfolding story of socio-technical systems change that has resulted in a new rapidly spreading decarbonization pathway for our built environment. HEET’s proposed ‘Gas to Geo’ pathway allows gas utilities to evolve to deliver non-emitting thermal energy to customers via networked geothermal technology. With 23 gas utilities engaged and two currently installing geo infrastructure to move customers off gas, many of us may be heating and cooling our homes with geo service in the future. Spanning the breadth of the energy system from workforce to equity to community engagement to engineering, drilling, and new heat pump markets, this story demonstrates the potential of collaborative innovation for the public good.
Zeyneb is co-executive director of HEET, where she designed and helped to launch the GasToGeo initiative to drive rapid, efficient, and equitable decarbonization of heating and cooling through deployment of ambient geothermal networks. Today GasToGeo demonstration projects are moving forward across the country and Zeyneb has convened an independent research team to study these first transitions. Zeyneb studied physics, global health, and sustainability and has worked at BBN Technologies, Harvard, MIT, and multiple startups. She is committed to creating and driving forward compassionate, multi-disciplinary and innovative solutions to the urgent challenge of climate change.
Monday, October 16, 2023
On Friday, October 13, Walter Hubbard will moderate our discussion on Solutions for the Grid: The Light at the End of the Tunnel.
In 1963 at the age of twelve, Walter’s Science Fair project was a Solar PhotoVoltaic cell powering a motor. Ever since, he has been enthralled with energy production earning a BSME at University of Rhode Island in power engineering. Upon graduating, he designed components of nuclear power plants for Stone and Webster and then later designing, installing, and troubleshooting steam turbine generators for General Electric in nuclear and fossil power plants. In the late 70s he was a formative part of several volunteer alternative energy groups. In 1982, Walter earned his MBA at the University of Michigan emphasizing Solar PhotoVoltaic Engineering and Energy Economics. Since then, Walter has been a financial and engineering consultant to the waste to energy industry, but more recently a computer consultant to small businesses and individuals. Walter practices what he preaches by driving an electric vehicle and heating and cooling with heat pumps powered in part by solar panels and a Powerwall battery at his home.
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
On Friday, September 22nd, Eric Johnson of will speak about the work of ISO New England.
Through collaboration and innovation, ISO New England plans the transmission system, administers the region’s wholesale markets, and operates the power system to ensure reliable and competitively priced wholesale electricity. He will provide an overview of the organization and an update on the New England region. This presentation will cover ISO New England’s roles and major responsibilities, the region’s wholesale markets, the New England power system, grid transformation, and transmission developments.
Eric is Director of External Affairs for ISO New England, the operator of the region’s electric grid. He leads a team of government affairs professionals that coordinates the ISO’s outreach to government officials in the six New England states. He works with state and federal policymakers and regulators to educate them on ISO initiatives related to regional system planning and wholesale electricity markets. He leads communications and training exercises to keep government officials informed during power system emergencies. He has appeared before legislative committees, public utility commissions, environmental agencies and siting boards to speak on a wide range of electricity issues. He serves on the board of directors of the Connecticut Power and Energy Society, and is the organization’s immediate past president. When he is not at work, Eric enjoys hiking with his family and their dog, Leo, and serving as a volunteer firefighter with the Hazardville Fire Department in Enfield, Connecticut.
Eric is Director of External Affairs for ISO New England, the operator of the region’s electric grid. He leads a team of government affairs professionals that coordinates the ISO’s outreach to government officials in the six New England states. He works with state and federal policymakers and regulators to educate them on ISO initiatives related to regional system planning and wholesale electricity markets. He leads communications and training exercises to keep government officials informed during power system emergencies. He has appeared before legislative committees, public utility commissions, environmental agencies and siting boards to speak on a wide range of electricity issues. He serves on the board of directors of the Connecticut Power and Energy Society, and is the organization’s immediate past president. When he is not at work, Eric enjoys hiking with his family and their dog, Leo, and serving as a volunteer firefighter with the Hazardville Fire Department in Enfield, Connecticut.
Monday, September 11, 2023
On Friday, September 8th, MIT Institute Professor Robert Langer will speak on Controlling the release of large molecules from biomaterials: How overcoming skepticism led to new medical treatments and ways to tackle a global health challenge.
Advanced drug delivery systems are having an enormous impact on human health. We start by discussing our early research on developing the first controlled release systems for macromolecules and the isolation of angiogenesis inhibitors and how these led to numerous new therapies. This early research then led to new drug delivery technologies including nanoparticles and nanotechnology that are now being studied for use treating cancer, other illnesses, and in vaccine delivery (including the Covid-19 vaccine). Finally, by combining mammalian cells, including stem cells, with synthetic polymers, new approaches for engineering tissues are being developed that may someday help in various diseases. These can also serve as a basis for tissues on a chip which can potentially reduce animal and human testing. Examples in the areas of cartilage, skin, blood vessels, GI tract and heart tissue are discussed.
Since graduating from MIT in 1974 with a ScD in chemical engineering, Bob Langer has gone on to serve as an Institute Professor at MIT, the highest distinction awarded to an MIT faculty member; preside over the largest academic biomedical engineering lab the world; conduct research in medicine and biotechnology that has improved the lives of over 2 billion people; become the most cited engineer in history; and garner countless awards and accolades for his work. He is a co-founder of Covid-19 vaccine maker Moderna. In his words, this celebrated educator, innovator and entrepreneur has said “Because I knew something about engineering and something about medicine, I was able to put those concepts together to come up with new ideas...” His work is of real and lasting value to society.
Since graduating from MIT in 1974 with a ScD in chemical engineering, Bob Langer has gone on to serve as an Institute Professor at MIT, the highest distinction awarded to an MIT faculty member; preside over the largest academic biomedical engineering lab the world; conduct research in medicine and biotechnology that has improved the lives of over 2 billion people; become the most cited engineer in history; and garner countless awards and accolades for his work. He is a co-founder of Covid-19 vaccine maker Moderna. In his words, this celebrated educator, innovator and entrepreneur has said “Because I knew something about engineering and something about medicine, I was able to put those concepts together to come up with new ideas...” His work is of real and lasting value to society.
Thursday, July 6, 2023
On Friday, June 23rd , Innovation Toronto’s Ron Smith will join us. His presentation is titled From Science Fiction to Science Friction.
Ron is Innovation Toronto's chief cook and bottle washer, and he has had the privilege of being able to observe the wonders and challenges of global science and discovery since 2007.He describes the observer role as giving one the sense of being "a mile wide and an inch deep: knowing a little about a lot of things, just enough to ask some really dumb questions". With science fiction quickly becoming science fact, we are in an age of discovery unlike any other. The overall volume of change and civilization-threatening challenges we face together is forcing humanity to contemplate it's collective future and the future of nature-in-our-care in ways unimaginable just a few decades ago. This interactive session will briefly explore some of the more amazing things coming at us while questioning our abilities and readiness to face the multitude of challenging things that are also coming at us. This is what we refer to internally as "the race between genius and stupidity". There will be opportunities during the session to discuss what really worries you most and the things you see that get you most excited about the future. You are very likely to hear "I wonder if" a few times during the session.
Ron Smith is an experienced innovator who left the for-profit world 34 years ago to apply entrepreneurial business principles to social needs. The original plan was to spend 3 or 4 years giving back and then return to the for-profit universe . . . he is running a little late! The focus in this time-line has ranged from the creation of innovative community projects, creation and implementation of local and foreign emergency disaster relief efforts to the global environmental imperative. His commitment to a positive, business-like and balanced approach to community, environment, education and related issues has helped attract some of the best minds in business, education, the environment and the community to work on pragmatic approaches that target the goal of a truly sustainable future. In 2007 Innovation Toronto was born. It began with Ron overseeing an online focus on the startup community in Toronto but quickly evolved to focus on the brilliant breakthroughs and discoveries that global science was bringing to the world. Since that time, Innovation Toronto has strived to showcase the best and brightest ideas that can be found from universities and research institutions worldwide. The ongoing overall mission is to help accelerate the development of the projects and ideas most likely to be of service in a time of local / global need. With the advent of generative artificial intelligence platforms he is deeply involved in exploring the possibilities and potential offered by AI to better promote the promise and wonders of science to the general public. See the attached for a more complete summary of Ron’s remarkable leadership over the years.
Ron Smith is an experienced innovator who left the for-profit world 34 years ago to apply entrepreneurial business principles to social needs. The original plan was to spend 3 or 4 years giving back and then return to the for-profit universe . . . he is running a little late! The focus in this time-line has ranged from the creation of innovative community projects, creation and implementation of local and foreign emergency disaster relief efforts to the global environmental imperative. His commitment to a positive, business-like and balanced approach to community, environment, education and related issues has helped attract some of the best minds in business, education, the environment and the community to work on pragmatic approaches that target the goal of a truly sustainable future. In 2007 Innovation Toronto was born. It began with Ron overseeing an online focus on the startup community in Toronto but quickly evolved to focus on the brilliant breakthroughs and discoveries that global science was bringing to the world. Since that time, Innovation Toronto has strived to showcase the best and brightest ideas that can be found from universities and research institutions worldwide. The ongoing overall mission is to help accelerate the development of the projects and ideas most likely to be of service in a time of local / global need. With the advent of generative artificial intelligence platforms he is deeply involved in exploring the possibilities and potential offered by AI to better promote the promise and wonders of science to the general public. See the attached for a more complete summary of Ron’s remarkable leadership over the years.
Monday, June 12, 2023
On Friday, June 9th, historian and writer Vincent Dixon will speak about America’s preparations for its 250th Anniversary, Heading Toward America’s 250th, and the background foundational history that explains how Massachusetts led the Original Thirteen, forward, to the culminating actions, and the document, that we know of as The Declaration of Independence.
Important, but little known, is that we are in the 250th Anniversary Cycle of The United States, which began before 2020 (1770-1776); and more importantly, most of the important events, happened here, in Massachusetts. Dixon will deliver, an Overview, of the History of Massachusetts; showing the dramatic evolution of events…and the ultimate Independence of Massachusetts, beginning in 1620, 1630, 1689, or 1774, depending upon how we view perceived reality, based on facts, distinct from the British Imperial arrogance of the time. Among the earliest events “The Liberty Tree Protest” in Boston, in 1765 (2015); the Spinners Protest in Lexington, in 1769 (2019); The Boston Massacre, in Boston, in 1770 (2020 – just before the Pandemic shutdown); The Boston Tea Party, in Boston, in 1773 (2023); The Suffolk Resolves 1774 (2024 – Predating The Declaration Of Independence – Authorizing Independent Government); Lexington, Concord, and Menotomy, in 1775 (2025); and more. The Presentation will highlight the repeated occasions of April 19th, in Massachusetts History; The United Colonies of New England; Governor/President Simon Bradstreet; the insistent use of mechanisms, based on The Rule Of Law; and the evolution of fully developed government; culminating in the fully Independent Massachusetts Provincial Congress, in October 1774 (2024); which continues in a legal line, to this day; influencing both the daily lives of Massachusetts, and providing significant models, for national government, along the way. With the failure of the United States 250th Commission, and the rocky, but important beginning of the Massachusetts 250th Commission, we are well on our way; although a bit behind, on the calendar. In fact, important, Commonwealth of Massachusetts funding is pending in the current State Budget.
Thursday, June 1, 2023
On Friday, May 26th Paul Woskov, MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, will join us to speak about Geothermal Drilling Technologies. Geothermal energy from Super-Hot Rock
Super Hot Rock (SHR) can be a virtually limitless base energy source with a power density comparable to fossil fuels. At depths ranging from 10 – 20 km about 80% of the world’s major population centers could access SHR. Pioneered at MIT and leveraging technology developed for nuclear fusion research, millimeter-wave (MMW) drilling represents a non-contact, direct energy penetration that replaces mechanical drilling with a full-bore energy-matter interaction. High-powered energy is efficiently guided downhole to result in dielectric heating > 2,000 oC, rapidly melting, pressurizing, and vaporizing the rock to create a borehole with a vitrified casing and transporting quenched vapors up-hole by a circulating purge gas. This process overcomes temperature/pressure limits of current drilling technology while improving drilling rates and lowering costs by an order of magnitude. In this presentation, we present the analytic basis of MMW drilling and why it is optimal to access deep SHR, provide experimental results, and plans at MIT, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and Quaise Energy.
Dr. Paul Woskov has been with MIT for 46 years, retiring from the Plasma Science and Fusion Center as a Senior Research Engineer after 41 years and currently continues part time as an active retiree. He has led and worked with national and international research teams in the areas of energy and environmental research. These areas have included work on major fusion energy experiments including ITER as an External Expert, on applied plasmas for nuclear waste remediation and pollution monitoring, and applications of millimeter-wave gyrotrons to geothermal energy, which included melting through granite and basalt for the first time using a powerful 5G frequency. Dr. Woskov has won 6 R&D 100 Awards as the inventor of new instrumentation and measurement methods for nuclear waste vitrification, atmospheric emissions, and thermal processes.
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
Friday May 12th, 2023 Laura Lewis on Synthetic Tetrataenite: Extraterrestrial Origins and Terrestrial Consequences.
Northeastern University Professor Laura Lewis will speak on Synthetic Tetrataenite: Extraterrestrial Origins and Terrestrial Consequences. 21st-century aspirations for e-mobility, robots and drones require advanced permanent magnets which will approach an estimated 2027 market value of $36.9 billion. While the rare-earth “supermagnets” are excellent for these applications, demand is predicted to outstrip supply within a decade, motivating the search for new types of magnetic materials. One contender is the iron-nickel meteoritic mineral known as “tetrataenite” that could provide a magnetic energy product (BH)max in excess of 300 kJ/m3, ideal for so-called “gap magnet” applications. While comprised entirely of sustainable and easily accessible elements, tetrataenite, however, takes up to a billion years to form in nature. Terrestrial synthesis of tetrataenite-based magnets has the potential to revolutionize technology and upend geopolitically influenced supply chains. Addressing this challenge, enhancement tetrataenite formation has been rationally approached through the application of multiple energies applied during thermal processing of metallic precursors. This presentation will introduce new results concerning stabilization of tetrataenite achieved via special processing, supporting the case that attainment of L10 FeNi is indeed possible on earthly timescales.
Laura H. Lewis is the Distinguished University and Cabot Professor of Chemical Engineering and Professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. Prior to her Northeastern University position, she was a research group leader and Associate Department Chair in the Nanoscience Department of Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). Concurrently, she was the Deputy Director of the BNL Center for Functional Nanomaterials, a DOE national user facility to provide researchers with state-of-the-art capabilities to fabricate and study nanoscale materials. Laura’s research focuses on investigating the materials factors at the atomic level that provide functionality to magnetic and electronic materials, with particular expertise in advanced permanent magnets. She has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications and delivered over 100 invited presentations at national and international venues. She has participated on a number of advisory panels and currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Critical Materials Institute (a DOE Energy Innovation Hub). She is a Delegate of the U.S. Technical Advisory Groups to develop supply chain and sustainability standards to ISO TC298 (Rare Earths) and ISO TC333 (Lithium), on behalf of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Laura, a Fellow of the IEEE, was Conference Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (2008 – 2018) and was Chair of the IEEE Magnetics Society Technical Committee (2017-2019). She is also a Fellow of the American Physical Society, a Fulbright Fellow as well as an elected member of JEMS-EMA (The European Magnetism Association), the Materials Research Society, the American Chemical Society and the American Society for Engineering Education.
Laura H. Lewis is the Distinguished University and Cabot Professor of Chemical Engineering and Professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. Prior to her Northeastern University position, she was a research group leader and Associate Department Chair in the Nanoscience Department of Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). Concurrently, she was the Deputy Director of the BNL Center for Functional Nanomaterials, a DOE national user facility to provide researchers with state-of-the-art capabilities to fabricate and study nanoscale materials. Laura’s research focuses on investigating the materials factors at the atomic level that provide functionality to magnetic and electronic materials, with particular expertise in advanced permanent magnets. She has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications and delivered over 100 invited presentations at national and international venues. She has participated on a number of advisory panels and currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Critical Materials Institute (a DOE Energy Innovation Hub). She is a Delegate of the U.S. Technical Advisory Groups to develop supply chain and sustainability standards to ISO TC298 (Rare Earths) and ISO TC333 (Lithium), on behalf of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Laura, a Fellow of the IEEE, was Conference Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (2008 – 2018) and was Chair of the IEEE Magnetics Society Technical Committee (2017-2019). She is also a Fellow of the American Physical Society, a Fulbright Fellow as well as an elected member of JEMS-EMA (The European Magnetism Association), the Materials Research Society, the American Chemical Society and the American Society for Engineering Education.
Monday, May 8, 2023
Friday, April 28th, 2023 Ismaila Dabo on Data-Intensive Discovery of Earth-Abundant Semiconductors for Solar-to-Hydrogen Conversion
Penn State Professor Ismaila Dabo will speak on Data-Intensive Discovery of Earth-Abundant Semiconductors for Solar-to-Hydrogen Conversion. Renewable and sustainable solar generation of hydrogen is pivotal to diversifying the global energy supply away from fossil fuels in the transportation sector and across major branches of the industry, including ammonia synthesis, process metallurgy, and hydrocarbon production. While photovoltaics and electrolysis are increasingly mature technologies whose association may ultimately offer a viable path to produce hydrogen at scale, there is increasing debate over building a future hydrogen infrastructure that would massively rely on critical Pt-group metals and on photovoltaic devices, whose supply chains and global markets are largely controlled by non-domestic producers. Thus, there is strategic interest in developing novel classes of scalable semiconductors that can directly cleave water into oxygen and hydrogen under solar illumination by photocatalytic means. This presentation will discuss the use of data-intensive materials discovery workflow for narrowing down the choice of candidate semiconductors for solar hydrogen generation. Progress in predicting the optical properties of compound semiconductors will also be highlighted.
Ismaila Dabo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State University with joint appointments in the Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment, and in the Penn State Materials Research Institute. He received a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT in 2008, working under the supervision of Nicola Marzari on the first-principles modeling of electrochemical solid–liquid interfaces. His recent awards include the Wilson Teaching Excellence Award (2021), Materials Science and Engineering Faculty of the Year Award (2021), Corning Chair in Materials Science and Engineering (2020). He currently serves on the editorial board of the journals Computational Materials Science (Elsevier) and Science (AAAS).
Friday, April 14th, 2023 Aziz Asphahani on Computational Materials Design and Engineering
Dr. Aziz Asphahani, Chairman and CEO of QuesTek Innovations, LLC, Evanston IL, will speak on Computational Materials Design and Engineering. Advanced materials are recognized as critical building blocks that drive significant innovations in key sectors of the global economy(e.g., Aerospace, Automotive, Defense, Energy, Medical). Also, these materials are being considered as key enablers in addressing the energy-climate challenges and accelerating the energy transition to near net zero emission targets. The advent of Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) technologies (built on thermodynamics and kinetics databases and aided by physics-based models and computational simulations) have led to the design and deployment of several advanced higher-performance alloys. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) play important role in the discovery of new compounds, the ICME technologies coupled with the Accelerated Insertion of Materials (AIM) methodologies have been successful in designing and deploying novel, advanced alloys. The ICME/AIM implementations are also proven effective in the practices of Engineering Concurrency (combining innovative product design with advanced materials). The acquired expertise from 26 years of applying the ICME technologies, and the ensuing cumulative know-how are QuesTek basis for the development and implementation of predictive software packages in the form of an Integrated Computational Materials Design (ICMD®) platform. As envisioned in the ongoing Materials Genome Initiative, the ICMD platform will assist in breaking down barriers between materials discovery and deployment. Presently, the ICMD platform have demonstrated usefulness in predicting the physical properties of Additive Manufacturing (3D-printing) of metals, and in designing printable higher-performance alloys powders.
Dr. Asphahani’s early research activities were focused on identifying the parameters affecting alloys resistance to corrosion. His research involved assessing the mechanisms of hydrogen embrittlement and its deleterious impact on corrosion-resistant alloys (CRA). Furthermore, he identified the roles of key alloying elements that were essential to developing CRA with improved resistance to corrosion and wear [one of his patented alloys (HASTELLOY alloy C-22) was selected as a durable material to contain nuclear waste for the Yacca Mountain project]. QuesTek Innovations is a leader in developing and deploying novel, advanced materials based on Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) technologies and the Accelerated Insertion of Materials (AIM) methodologies, using genomic science-based data, and physics-based modeling. He holds eight patents. In 2017, Aziz was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering "for executive leadership in STEM education, integrated computational design of materials, and innovation and production of corrosion-resistant alloys." He is a past president of ASM International and past chair of its educational foundation. His degrees include Diplome Ingenieur-Physique from École Centrale de Paris and a Ph.D. in Materials Science from MIT.
Dr. Asphahani’s early research activities were focused on identifying the parameters affecting alloys resistance to corrosion. His research involved assessing the mechanisms of hydrogen embrittlement and its deleterious impact on corrosion-resistant alloys (CRA). Furthermore, he identified the roles of key alloying elements that were essential to developing CRA with improved resistance to corrosion and wear [one of his patented alloys (HASTELLOY alloy C-22) was selected as a durable material to contain nuclear waste for the Yacca Mountain project]. QuesTek Innovations is a leader in developing and deploying novel, advanced materials based on Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) technologies and the Accelerated Insertion of Materials (AIM) methodologies, using genomic science-based data, and physics-based modeling. He holds eight patents. In 2017, Aziz was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering "for executive leadership in STEM education, integrated computational design of materials, and innovation and production of corrosion-resistant alloys." He is a past president of ASM International and past chair of its educational foundation. His degrees include Diplome Ingenieur-Physique from École Centrale de Paris and a Ph.D. in Materials Science from MIT.
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
Friday, March 24th, 2023 Michael Garjian on Carbon Dioxide Removal
Michael Garjian will speak about how climate change provides an opportunity to create sustainable community economies by utilizing sustainable power systems and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies such as the CarbonStar system. His 16 years spent in the CDR industry culminated in Michael Garjian’s development, patenting, and successful demonstration of the mobile CarbonStar catalytic vacuum pyrolysis system. The CarbonStar system sequesters atmospheric CO2 by pyrolyzing a variety of biomass feedstocks to produce biochar, bio oils, wood vinegar fertilizer, and biogas to generate electricity to power the CarbonStar system. If widely deployed, the self-sustaining CarbonStar system could sequester megaton levels of CO2 while providing carbon neutral energy and power to urban, rural, and even remote locations wherever a supply of biomass is available. The CarbonStar system has been ranked among the top 80 of 1,300 global CDR technologies entered in Elon Musk’s Carbon XPRIZE.
Michael left the farm to earn a degree in business management from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Isenberg School Of Management. As a lifelong commercial entrepreneur, social entrepreneur, and author, he holds 11 international patents for alternative lighting systems, electronic power supplies, and atmospheric carbon dioxide removal (CDR) systems. As a commercial entrepreneur he and his wife Irene employed 400 associates producing innovations he developed and sold internationally. As a social entrepreneur in the 2000s, he conceived of and pursued the development of sustainable economic systems while working in community development organizations helping more than one hundred very low income individuals and refugees start small businesses. His work earned a number of awards and was recognized widely by the community, business, and social media of that time. He and his wife Irene are the founders of CarbonStar Systems, Inc., a Massachusetts domestic benefit corporation (B-Corp).
Michael left the farm to earn a degree in business management from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Isenberg School Of Management. As a lifelong commercial entrepreneur, social entrepreneur, and author, he holds 11 international patents for alternative lighting systems, electronic power supplies, and atmospheric carbon dioxide removal (CDR) systems. As a commercial entrepreneur he and his wife Irene employed 400 associates producing innovations he developed and sold internationally. As a social entrepreneur in the 2000s, he conceived of and pursued the development of sustainable economic systems while working in community development organizations helping more than one hundred very low income individuals and refugees start small businesses. His work earned a number of awards and was recognized widely by the community, business, and social media of that time. He and his wife Irene are the founders of CarbonStar Systems, Inc., a Massachusetts domestic benefit corporation (B-Corp).
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Friday March 10th, 2023 David Hsu on The Origin of Community Choice Aggregation
On Friday, March 10th, David Hsu will speak on The Origin of Community Choice Aggregation and other aspects of the role of concerned citizens in moving local and national policy regarding the energy transition necessary to avoid worsening climate change. A recent paper on the invention of Community Choice Aggregation in Massachusetts sheds light on how to achieve changes in the energy system from the bottom-up, with local organizing and government action. A second recent paper, on the interactions between land use and the built environment with national, economy-wide decarbonization, illustrates how local cities and regions must act to contribute to the energy transition.
David Hsu is an Associate Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning in MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning. Cities connect to their environment through infrastructure, built through physical, technological, and social systems. David's research and teaching focus on how planners, policymakers, and advocates can shape and implement these complex systems using technology, data, and analysis. David taught previously at the University of Pennsylvania and New York University, and worked in structural engineering, real estate finance, and as a policy analyst in the city governments of New York and Seattle. He holds a B.S. from Yale University in physics; a M.S. from Cornell University in applied and engineering physics; a M.Sc. from the London School of Economics and Political Science in city design and social science; and from the University of Washington in Seattle, a Ph.D. in urban design and planning with a certificate in social science and statistics. David is working on a book contracted with the University of Chicago Press on governance of utilities and infrastructure.
David Hsu is an Associate Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning in MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning. Cities connect to their environment through infrastructure, built through physical, technological, and social systems. David's research and teaching focus on how planners, policymakers, and advocates can shape and implement these complex systems using technology, data, and analysis. David taught previously at the University of Pennsylvania and New York University, and worked in structural engineering, real estate finance, and as a policy analyst in the city governments of New York and Seattle. He holds a B.S. from Yale University in physics; a M.S. from Cornell University in applied and engineering physics; a M.Sc. from the London School of Economics and Political Science in city design and social science; and from the University of Washington in Seattle, a Ph.D. in urban design and planning with a certificate in social science and statistics. David is working on a book contracted with the University of Chicago Press on governance of utilities and infrastructure.
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Friday February 24th, 2023 Richard Adler on the Law of Unintended Consequences (LUC)
Why do so many critical business and policy decisions go awry? And what can leaders do to improve decision quality and outcomes? In this talk, Richard Adler will answer the first question using the Law of Unintended Consequences (LUC), which states that attempts to intervene in complex situations tend to produce unexpected and often unpleasant consequences. He will review the Law’s primary causes—cognitive biases and bounded rationality—and explain how they wreak havoc. The second question is answered by describing a method for “test-driving” decisions that helps to combat these causes. This method combines scenario planning and “what-if” simulations to help leaders practice critical decisions and learn safely from virtual rather than real mistakes. Decision test drives help organizations improve their anticipation of the future and reduce the frequency and severity of unintended consequences, thereby “bending” the Law. Finally, Rich will illustrate the test drive method by applying it to decisions about managing organizational risk. This example focuses on improving strategies for DHS agencies to counter terrorist threats against critical national infrastructures.
Richard Adler is a software architect, management consultant, and start-up executive. He spent most of his career building software tools and applications to improve business operations and critical decision-making. Richard worked for Control Data, MITRE, Computer Sciences Corporation, and three software start-up companies. Early in his career, Richard built AI programs, including one that automated operations support for the Launch Processing System for NASA’s Space Shuttle Fleet. As the founder of DecisionPath, he developed solutions to improve strategic decisions such as competitive marketing, counterterrorism, and organizational change, as described in his recent book Bending the Law of Unintended Consequences. Richard has also published and spoken on topics including intelligent and distributed systems, simulation, homeland security, and knowledge management. Richard holds a BS degree in Physics and Philosophy (University of Michigan), an MS in Physics (University of Illinois at Urbana) and a PhD in Philosophy of Physics (University of Minnesota).
Richard Adler is a software architect, management consultant, and start-up executive. He spent most of his career building software tools and applications to improve business operations and critical decision-making. Richard worked for Control Data, MITRE, Computer Sciences Corporation, and three software start-up companies. Early in his career, Richard built AI programs, including one that automated operations support for the Launch Processing System for NASA’s Space Shuttle Fleet. As the founder of DecisionPath, he developed solutions to improve strategic decisions such as competitive marketing, counterterrorism, and organizational change, as described in his recent book Bending the Law of Unintended Consequences. Richard has also published and spoken on topics including intelligent and distributed systems, simulation, homeland security, and knowledge management. Richard holds a BS degree in Physics and Philosophy (University of Michigan), an MS in Physics (University of Illinois at Urbana) and a PhD in Philosophy of Physics (University of Minnesota).
Friday, February 3, 2023
Friday, February 10th, 2023 Wayne Sharfin: Developing a Science Demonstration Program to Inspire Underprivileged Middle-School Students
Wayne Sharfin will speak with about his work at Developing a Science Demonstration Program to Inspire Underprivileged Middle-School Students. Students must decide whether they are interested in pursuing a career in science or engineering (STEM subjects) early in high-school in order to choose the appropriate preparatory courses. Underprivileged students generally have little exposure to professional STEM mentors or role models. Our goal is to perform demonstrations that might inspire them to consider a STEM career and to answer questions which would aid them in their decision. Examples of some proposed participatory demonstrations and slides that have been prepared to explain and expand upon the underlying concepts will be shown. Challenges that have been encountered and the relative merits of doing this as part of an in-class or optional after-school program will be discussed.
Wayne Sharfin was born in Queens NYC. Both of his parents worked in NYC public schools, his father was an artist and amateur musician. He performed in the All-City NYC High School Orchestra. He was interested in science and music and attended the U. of Rochester, which has the Eastman School of Music. He received his PhD in Physical Chemistry from the U. of Chicago where he did his PhD research in laser spectroscopy. Wayne joined the newly formed Fundamental Research Lab of GTE Laboratories after doing post-doctoral research at the U. of Toronto. He received two awards for his research at GTE and joined MIT Lincoln Lab after the Fundamental Research Lab was closed. Dr. Sharfin has been the chairman of several international conferences on optical devices for telecommunications. He began his career in product development at Lasertron in 1993 where he was the Director of Pump Laser Development when Corning acquired the company in 2000 for its pump laser technology. He has been the VP of Engineering at three start-up companies in the US and Canada, including Aegis Lightwave, a market leader in optical channel monitors for WDM communications which was acquired by II-VI Corporation, (now part of Coherent) in 2011.
Wayne Sharfin was born in Queens NYC. Both of his parents worked in NYC public schools, his father was an artist and amateur musician. He performed in the All-City NYC High School Orchestra. He was interested in science and music and attended the U. of Rochester, which has the Eastman School of Music. He received his PhD in Physical Chemistry from the U. of Chicago where he did his PhD research in laser spectroscopy. Wayne joined the newly formed Fundamental Research Lab of GTE Laboratories after doing post-doctoral research at the U. of Toronto. He received two awards for his research at GTE and joined MIT Lincoln Lab after the Fundamental Research Lab was closed. Dr. Sharfin has been the chairman of several international conferences on optical devices for telecommunications. He began his career in product development at Lasertron in 1993 where he was the Director of Pump Laser Development when Corning acquired the company in 2000 for its pump laser technology. He has been the VP of Engineering at three start-up companies in the US and Canada, including Aegis Lightwave, a market leader in optical channel monitors for WDM communications which was acquired by II-VI Corporation, (now part of Coherent) in 2011.
Thursday, January 26, 2023
Friday, January 27th, 2023 Eric Miller on Hydrogen
Eric Miller, Chief Scientist U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office will speak about the DOE program HydroGEN, Materials Research Supporting U.S. National Priorities in Clean Hydrogen Production. Today, technologies for advancing National clean energy priorities are rapidly evolving, including hydrogen and fuel cell technologies which offer unique versatility within a portfolio of domestic options addressing decarbonization, economic growth, and environmental justice. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrogen Program, in support of the Hydrogen Energy Earthshot (aka the Hydrogen Shot) and the H2@Scale initiative, comprises a broad portfolio of research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) activities focused on advancing technologies for the affordable production, storage, distribution, and utilization of clean hydrogen across sectors. Coordinated by the Department’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, this portfolio includes foundational materials research and development (R&D) leveraging consortia that harness the world-class capabilities and expertise of our national laboratories, including consortia affiliated with the DOE Energy Materials Network (EMN). The HydroGEN EMN Consortia, for example, aims to accelerate the materials R&D of advanced water splitting pathways such as alkaline exchange membrane low-temperature electrolysis and proton-conducting high-temperature electrolysis, as well as photoelectrochemical, and solar thermochemical processes. This talk presents an overview of the DOE Hydrogen Program’s priorities in support of H2@Scale and the Hydrogen Shot, and discusses the HydroGEN Consortium’s high-impact materials R&D to enable diverse options for affordable clean hydrogen production.
Dr. Eric L. Miller is Chief Scientist at the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, where he plays important roles in the Department’s Hydrogen Energy Earthshot and H2@Scale Initiatives. He is also co-founder and Chair of the DOE Energy Materials Network, and a member of the OSTP Subcommittee on the Material Genome Initiative. With a background in applied physics, electrical engineering, and materials science, he has spent over 30 years in the research and development of hydrogen and other clean energy technologies; and is globally recognized as a pioneer in the field of solar hydrogen production.
Dr. Eric L. Miller is Chief Scientist at the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, where he plays important roles in the Department’s Hydrogen Energy Earthshot and H2@Scale Initiatives. He is also co-founder and Chair of the DOE Energy Materials Network, and a member of the OSTP Subcommittee on the Material Genome Initiative. With a background in applied physics, electrical engineering, and materials science, he has spent over 30 years in the research and development of hydrogen and other clean energy technologies; and is globally recognized as a pioneer in the field of solar hydrogen production.
Friday, January 6, 2023
Friday, January 13th, 2022 - Dan Metlay on Nuclear Waste
Dan Metlay will speak with us on DOE’s Consent Based Siting Process for Nuclear Waste. The importance of public acceptance and the social science aspects of dealing with this matter has come up often in our meetings. In late August of the past year, a copy of Dan’s Social Acceptability of Geologic Disposal, which appeared in Elsevier’s Encyclopedia of Nuclear Energy, was circulated to our group and will provide advance reading for this meeting. A copy is attached.
Dr. Daniel Metlay recently retired after 24‐years of service on the senior professional staff of the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board. Prior to joining the NWTRB, he taught organizational theory and public policy in the political science departments of Indiana University, Bloomington, and at MIT. He served on the steering committee to prepare the Reset of America’s Nuclear Waste Management: Strategy and Policy report, which was released by Stanford and George Washington Universities in 2018. As a Senior Fellow at the B. John Garrick Institute for Risk Sciences at UCLA, he is now working on a book dealing with the institutional and technical challenges of developing a deep‐mined, geologic repository for high‐activity radioactive waste.
Dr. Daniel Metlay recently retired after 24‐years of service on the senior professional staff of the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board. Prior to joining the NWTRB, he taught organizational theory and public policy in the political science departments of Indiana University, Bloomington, and at MIT. He served on the steering committee to prepare the Reset of America’s Nuclear Waste Management: Strategy and Policy report, which was released by Stanford and George Washington Universities in 2018. As a Senior Fellow at the B. John Garrick Institute for Risk Sciences at UCLA, he is now working on a book dealing with the institutional and technical challenges of developing a deep‐mined, geologic repository for high‐activity radioactive waste.
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
Friday December 23, 2022 Vincent Dixon - Holiday Music and Musical Stories
On Friday, December 23rd, historian and writer Vincent Dixon will add a historian’s perspective and music to our Christmas preparations with Holiday Music and Musical Stories – (A Narrated and Sung Program). Holiday songs derived from technology, policy and national security issues (Do you Hear What I Hear, for example) are as timely today as when they first appeared and represent a poignant and meaningful end of the year event for us.
Vincent Lawrence “Vince” Dixon, is a known Historian, especially focused on presentations including Colonial History; Current Events, and their Relationship to History; Church-State Relationships, and their Evolution, and Relationship with Civic Society; Parks, and Landscape History; and has taught, and tutored, as well. He has done work in curriculum development, and is a frequently published columnist, and speaker; and responds to custom requests. MASS PRESENTATIONS (a dba brand, of Dixon’s) develops a wide variety of presentations, media presentations, curriculum, and published materials, across a wide variety of audiences, and subject matter. Dixon has made presentations to the Winchester Historical Society: Religious Realities of Winchester: Houses of Worship & Communities of Faith; Schools of Winchester & Their Namesakes (including an exploration of The Lincolns of Massachusetts); Sports History of Winchester (A Virtual Event – by Zoom); and conducted Town Day Trolley Guided Tours. Interestingly, Vince was home schooled K-12, received his Bachelor of Arts Degree, cum laude, at the Harvard University Extension School and a Master of Education Degree at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. He studied with Dr. Thomas H. O’Connor, University Historian of Boston College, the long-time Dean of Boston Historians.
Vincent Lawrence “Vince” Dixon, is a known Historian, especially focused on presentations including Colonial History; Current Events, and their Relationship to History; Church-State Relationships, and their Evolution, and Relationship with Civic Society; Parks, and Landscape History; and has taught, and tutored, as well. He has done work in curriculum development, and is a frequently published columnist, and speaker; and responds to custom requests. MASS PRESENTATIONS (a dba brand, of Dixon’s) develops a wide variety of presentations, media presentations, curriculum, and published materials, across a wide variety of audiences, and subject matter. Dixon has made presentations to the Winchester Historical Society: Religious Realities of Winchester: Houses of Worship & Communities of Faith; Schools of Winchester & Their Namesakes (including an exploration of The Lincolns of Massachusetts); Sports History of Winchester (A Virtual Event – by Zoom); and conducted Town Day Trolley Guided Tours. Interestingly, Vince was home schooled K-12, received his Bachelor of Arts Degree, cum laude, at the Harvard University Extension School and a Master of Education Degree at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. He studied with Dr. Thomas H. O’Connor, University Historian of Boston College, the long-time Dean of Boston Historians.
Friday, December 9, 2022
Friday, December 9, 2022 Michael Cima: Intersection of Medicine and Materials
At this meeting, Professor Michael Cima will speak about The Intersection of Medicine and Materials. He will discuss his journey from materials science and engineering to medicine through a series of technologies originating in his lab. For the most part, this is a reflection on where these ideas came from. There are three key themes; pivot, adjacency, and theory of change. Topics will include 1) the role of materials in pharmaceutical development, 2) magnetics in diagnostics, 3) single compartment drug targeting, and 4) hydration status measurement.
Dr. Michael J. Cima is a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has an appointment at the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research. Professor Cima joined the MIT faculty in 1986 and has received numerous awards. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2011 and to the National Academy of Inventors in 2016. He now holds the David H. Koch Chair of Engineering at MIT. He was appointed faculty director of the Lemelson-MIT Program in 2009 which is a program to inspire youth to be inventive and has a nationwide reach. He was appointed Associate Dean of Engineering in 2018 and co-director of the MIT Innovation Initiative. Prof. Cima is author or co-author of over three hundred peer reviewed scientific publications, ninety US patents, and is a recognized expert in the field of medical devices and materials processing. Prof. Cima has been very active in the translation of new technologies into the clinic, including a new therapy for bladder cancer.
Dr. Michael J. Cima is a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has an appointment at the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research. Professor Cima joined the MIT faculty in 1986 and has received numerous awards. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2011 and to the National Academy of Inventors in 2016. He now holds the David H. Koch Chair of Engineering at MIT. He was appointed faculty director of the Lemelson-MIT Program in 2009 which is a program to inspire youth to be inventive and has a nationwide reach. He was appointed Associate Dean of Engineering in 2018 and co-director of the MIT Innovation Initiative. Prof. Cima is author or co-author of over three hundred peer reviewed scientific publications, ninety US patents, and is a recognized expert in the field of medical devices and materials processing. Prof. Cima has been very active in the translation of new technologies into the clinic, including a new therapy for bladder cancer.
Friday, November 18, 2022
Monday, November 7, 2022
Wednesday November 9th, 2022 Kerry Emanuel and Richard Lindzen in A Conversation on Climate Change
At this Conversation on Climate Change, Professors Kerry Emanuel and Richard Lindzen of MIT’s Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Department (EAPS) will join us. Kerry and Dick both spoke about climate change issues at Forum meetings last season. Their views differ. These two distinguished experts return to join us in a moderated conversation on climate change. With all the information (and misinformation) regarding climate issues in the popular press and political discourse, this is a rare opportunity for us to ask our questions and to develop a basis for understand the reality.
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