Distinguished Guest Lecturer Pamela M. Norris
Of the nearly 100 quadrillion BTUs of energy consumed in the United States in 2013, almost 60 quads were lost as “rejected energy” or “waste heat.” Reducing or harvesting even a small portion of this waste heat would substantially benefit the economy and environment. Addressing the poor efficiency of energy production and usage requires multi-level, multidisciplinary solutions. Not only must scientists and engineers strive for technological solutions to these challenges, but politicians, legislators, architects, city planners, and the general public must also actively examine their spheres of influence to determine how they could be part of the solution. In this talk, several energy production technologies will be described along with their current state of development, as well as some novel developments that are on the horizon. Some lesser-known technologies from my own field of expertise, nanoscale energy transport, will also be discussed. Nanoscale thermal engineering has great potential for contributions in the energy arena, through technologies such as thermoelectric devices and thermal interface materials. The talk will conclude with a discussion of the need for diverse mindsets and technologies to develop creative solutions for addressing the production and usage of energy in the United States and globally.
Thursday, March 19 at 4pm
New Engineering Building, Room 100
Reception 30 minutes preceding
Contact Eva Achero at eachero@eng.ufl.edu or (352) 392-0946 for more information.
