President Coleman and Research VP Forrest are here, listening to the morning's discussion. Before it began, both were commenting on how well UM is positioned for the nation's current rain of support for energy -- and energy science.
Coleman: "UM will continue to invest in our strengths."
Summit started on that note from a UM standpoint, with attention straight out of the gate on revitalizing the nation's electric grid to meet the challenges of new technology coming .
Shirley Ann Jackson, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and one of the Council on Competitiveness co-chairs, sited "upgrading and smartening up the electric grid ... for more high voltage, high transmission lines designed in way more robust and looking at new materials." She also mentioned the new energy sources (ie wind, solar) demand better ways to store that energy.
Makes me think of Engineering Professor Ian Hisken's work to make our electric grid work when these new technologies come into play.
