The 17th annual Symposium organized by the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) will feature presentations by SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows and collaborating researchers that target innovations in water, energy and design for healthy, vibrant communities.  The event, which will be held Oct. 4 at the Crowne Plaza Syracuse and SyracuseCoE’s headquarters, also will include presentations by three keynote speakers and a student poster competition.

Keynote speakers for this year’s Symposium are:

  • Brewster McCracken, President and CEO of Pecan Street Institute, who will present “Bring on the data: How you can use data to solve cities’ greatest resource and environmental challenges;
  • John Fernandez, Professor and Director of the Building Technology Program and the Urban Metabolism Group at MIT, who will present “The future of cities and the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative”; and
  • Jeff Peterson, Senior Advisor for Entrepreneurship at the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, who will present “Clean energy innovation and research partnerships for a sustainable future.”

“SyracuseCoE is proud to offer our 17th annual Symposium, featuring work being done by our Faculty Fellows, their students and collaborators from around the country,”” said Edward Bogucz, executive director of SyracuseCoE and associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Syracuse University. “We look forward to attracting a diverse community of students, faculty members, and practitioners to attend, and to fostering ‘intellectual collisions’ that lead to new collaborations.”

SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows developed the programs for nine separate Symposium sessions, which are organized in three parallel tracks: Water in Urban Environments, Energy Resources, and Design in Urban Environments. Individual sessions include:

  • “Climate change and urban systems,” chaired by Charles Driscoll, University Professor of Environmental Systems Engineering, Syracuse University;
  • “Urban water and infrastructure,” chaired by Christa Kelleher, assistant professor of earth sciences and civil and environmental engineering, Syracuse University;
  • “Hydrologic behavior in urban environments,” chaired by Laura Lautz, Jessie Page Heroy Professor and Chair, Department of Earth Sciences, Syracuse University;
  • “Improving combustion engines through reliable ignition prediction and control,” chaired by Ben Akih-Kumgeh, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, Syracuse University;
  • “Advanced energy conversion and storage technologies,” chaired by Jeongmin Ahn, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, Syracuse University;
  • “Biorefineries, biofuels, and bioproducts,” chaired by Biljana Bujanovic, associate professor of paper and bioprocess engineering, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry;
  • “Designed material systems,” chaired by Daekwon Park, assistant professor of architecture, Syracuse University.
  • “Big data, urban energy modeling, and visualization for community engagement” (2 sessions), chaired by Bess Krietemeyer, assistant professor of architecture, Syracuse University, and Tarek Rakha, assistant professor of architecture, Syracuse University.

For more information, please visit the symposium main page.