The Global Demand for Energy and our Environment
The subject of climate change was identified as a priority topic by student respondents in the 2021 -2022 All Angles survey. In response to this, we are pleased to bring you a discussion among two experts who each influence international policy related to this subject. These experts agree on the need to address the impact that energy demand has on our environment and they also offer different considerations about how this is done.
Joining us is Dr. Paulina Jaramillo, Professor of Engineering and Public Policy and Co-Director of the Green Institute at Carnegie Mellon University and Dr. Scott Tinker, the Allday Endowed Chair in the Jackson School of Geosciences and Director of the Bureau of Economic Geology, State Geologist of Texas University at Austin. Pitt’s own Executive Director of Sustainability, Dr. Aurora Sharrard, will be moderating this discussion.
By attending this All Angles session, you will have an opportunity to consider fresh perspectives on the subject of global energy demand and its impact on our environment. You will also be able to observe and reflect on the essential communication skills that leading content experts demonstrate as they address this complicated issue.
Seats are limited, so early registration is encouraged. The session will be held October 26th in the William Pitt Student Union, Lower Lounge, from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Featured Speakers
Dr. Paulina Jaramillo has a bachelor’s in civil and environmental engineering from Florida International University (2003), as well as a master's and PhD in civil and environmental engineering with an emphasis in green design from Carnegie Mellon University (2004 and 2007, respectively). Her past research has focused on life cycle assessment of energy systems with an emphasis on climate change impacts and mitigation research. As a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, she is involved in key multi-disciplinary research projects to better understand the social, economic and environmental implications of energy consumption and the public policy tools that can be used to support sustainable energy development and consumption. She is now the Co-Director of the Green Design Institute and has started pursuing research about infrastructure systems for global development.
Dr. Scott Tinker works to bring industry, government, academia, and nongovernmental organizations together to address major societal challenges in energy, the environment, and the economy. Dr. Tinker is Director of the 250-person Bureau of Economic Geology, the State Geologist of Texas, and a professor holding the Allday Endowed Chair in the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin. With Director Harry Lynch, Tinker coproduced and is featured in the award-winning energy documentary films Switch and Switch On, which have been screened in over 50 countries and used on thousands of campuses worldwide. Dr. Tinker formed, and serves as Chairman of, the nonprofit Switch Energy Alliance, whose materials appear from schools to board rooms globally. Tinker is the voice of EarthDate, which is featured weekly on over 425 public radio stations in all 50 United States. In his visits to some 60 countries, Scott has given nearly 1000 keynote and invited lectures. In 2022, Dr. Tinker presented a TEDx talk on The Dual Challenge: Energy and Environment. Scott is an angel investor and has helped bring companies from startup to acquisition. His writing has appeared in publications ranging from Forbes to Scientific American. Dr. Tinker has served as president of the American Geosciences Institute (AGI), the Association of American State Geologists (AASG), and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG). He is an AGI Campbell Medalist, AAPG Halbouty Medalist, GCAGS Boyd Medalist, American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) Parker Medalist, and a Geological Society of America (GSA) Fellow.
Moderator
Dr. Aurora Sharrard is the Executive Director of Sustainability at the University of Pittsburgh, tasked with enabling the Pitt Sustainability Plan, which formalizes decades of university-led and partnered green initiatives. In pursuit of the Plan’s 61 measurable goals, she leads Pitt’s Office of Sustainability, cross-departmental sustainability staff, and University-wide sustainability strategy, activities, policies, collaborations, and partnerships. Building on past progress and successes, Dr. Sharrard and her colleagues work daily across the spectrum of sustainability, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, incorporating sustainability into the curriculum, providing access and opportunity to all, transparently communicating progress, and embedding a culture of sustainability into the University of Pittsburgh so that it’s a sustainability leader in every scale, from campus to international. Prior to joining the University, Dr. Sharrard worked at Green Building Alliance (GBA) for 11 years, ultimately serving as its Executive Director. She led the nonprofit in advancing innovation in the built environment by empowering people to create environmentally, economically, and socially vibrant places. GBA is one of the oldest regional green building and organizations in the United States, with a focus on innovative, evidence-based, and collaborative work throughout Western Pennsylvania.