At IES we want to share upcoming energy related events both on campus and off campus. This list is updated intermittently and is not intended as a guaranteed comprehensive list. Additionally, the opinions presented at different events do not officially represent the views of IES, but are shared for building opportunities to engage with different facets of energy.
September, 2024
September 25, 2024 – Decarbonization Dialogues featuring Shalanda Baker
Please join us for a special fall symposium hosted by the Graham Sustainability Institute and a diverse group of university co-sponsors. This event aims to bring together the U-M research community to enhance and advance our collective efforts in decarbonization.
Event Highlights
Fireside Chat: Shalanda Baker, U-M’s Vice Provost for Sustainability and Climate Action, will discuss energy justice and equity with Jennifer Haverkamp, Graham Director.
Research Panel: Shalanda Baker will moderate a panel featuring Todd Allen, Skip Lupia, Shelie Miller, Jonathan Overpeck, and Kathy Velikov, exploring decarbonization opportunities at U-M.
Community Conversations: Attendees will share insights on Campus-as-Lab and Community Benefits, with live mural translation of ideas.
September 25, 2024 – Energy Innovators Gala
Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council hosts an evening of networking and celebrating successes in Michigan’s advanced energy sector.
September 26, 2024 – 2024 Michigan Climate Summit
On Thursday, September 26th, the Michigan Climate Summit will be held at the U-M Rackham Auditorium and Michigan Union from 8 AM to 5 PM. The summit will be hosted by Michigan Climate Action Network and the School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS). The theme will be Climate Civics, looking at intersections between social justice, civic engagement, and climate action. If you are interested in attending read more about it and register now.
September 27, 2024 – Energy Transition Advisory: Commercial Strategy and Transaction Due Diligence
Hosted by Center for Sustainable Systems
September 27, 202411:00am – 12:00pm
Dana 1040
Akshat Kasliwal – MS, 2019 and Managing Consultant at PA Consulting Group – joins us for a seminar on providing strategic and transaction advisory services to key energy industry stakeholders, including investors, developers, regulators, and end-users. His clients include Invenergy, Goldman Sachs, and Microsoft. Akshat will share key considerations underpinning renewable M&A deals, commercial offering development, and power market risk/opportunity assessment. He will share specific case-studies from his time at PA, and map those back to the skills needed to be a trusted advisor to the biggest names in the power sector. The session will be followed-up with Q&A and networking opportunities.
Light refreshments will be provided!
About Akshat Kasliwal
Akshat is an expert in the commercialization of clean energy, and leads PA’s renewable asset valuation and offtake contracting workstreams. He advises energy industry stakeholders on quantifying and qualifying risks and opportunities associated with infrastructure investments; mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures; policy developments; and strategic/operational decisions. In his time at PA, he has advised on transactions for over 200 GW of infrastructure projects across all asset classes, helped craft the development of 24/7 carbon-free energy solutions, and assess the efficacy of regional carbon-pricing policies. Akshat joined PA having completed his M.S. in Sustainable Systems from the University of Michigan, where he worked on the interface of energy, mobility, and strategy. Specifically, he led projects involving energetics of flying and self-driving cars; development of Ford Motor Company’s Scope 3 GHG inventory and circular economy protocol; and analyses of nationwide co-op markets for energy storage deployment. Prior to graduate school, Akshat trained as a chemical engineer, researching waste-to-fuels with Shell in India; evaluating solar-thermal enhanced oil recovery in Oman; and developing novel battery materials at a federal lab in South Korea.
October, 2024
October 2-3, 2024 – Thermal Management Systems Symposium
Electric vehicles bring a host of new challenges to the industry: how to keep things cool around a hot battery; how to conserve energy and reduce engine emissions; how to improve the cabin environment; and how to meet global standards and regulations. This year’s Thermal Management Systems Symposium (TMSS) will bring the industry together to tackle these important questions and much more.
In two productive days, you’ll get up to speed on regulations, technology and industry trends, and interact with engineers who do what you do. This is where important conversations happen. Don’t miss this vital opportunity to interact with and network the best of the best in the field of ground vehicle thermal systems technology and thermal systems management.
The event will be located at Saint John’s Resort 44045 Five Mile Road Plymouth, MI 48170.
See details
October 8-10, 2024 – Energy Storage Forum 2024: Detroit, USA
The Energy Storage Forum 2024 is part of the Battery Show North America. The event goes from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Global Attain Advancement, LLC (GAA Exhibitions & Conferences) is hosting the event. See more details on the event.
October 9, 2024 – IES Energy Seminar Series – Speaker #3 – Jose L. Avalos, Princeton University
On October 9th, 2024, Nina Lin will host Jose L. Avalos with IES.
Dr. José L. Avalos is an Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering and the Omenn-Darling Bioengineering Institute at Princeton University. Dr. Avalos completed his B.S.E. at La Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México, his M.Sc. at Imperial College London, and his Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine.
Dr. Avalos’s research mission is to use biotechnology to address important problems in sustainable energy, the environment, industry and human health. Energy applications of his work include production of advanced biofuels, including fuels targeted as substitutions for gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, especially through sources that do not compete with food production.
Further details will be updated here as well as in the new Energy Seminar Series Webpage
October 23, 2024 – IES Energy Seminar Series – Speaker #4 – Brittany Lutz, Nuclear Innovation Alliance
On October 23rd, 2024, Todd Allen will host Brittany Lutz with IES.
Brittany Lutz is a Policy Program Manager at the Nuclear Innovation Alliance, where she manages a portfolio of research projects, stakeholder engagement and advocacy, with an emphasis on regulatory modernization at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Her background includes both technical research and policy work in nuclear technology and radiological sciences.
Brittany has extensive experience in technical and programmatic aspects of nuclear weapons effects modeling. During her tenure at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, she developed and led new initiatives to enhance technical capabilities of nuclear modeling software. Brittany’s work included leading briefings and analyses during high-profile military exercises and engaging with senior military leaders to inform real-time decisions.
Brittany holds a Master of Science in Materials & Nuclear Engineering from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. She is currently pursuing further graduate studies in Medical Physics at Virginia Commonwealth University in collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Further details will be updated here as well as in the new Energy Seminar Series Webpage
November, 2024
November 6, 2024 – IES Energy Seminar Series – Speaker #5 – Fikile R. Brushett, MIT
On November 6th, 2024, Andrej Lenert will be hosting Fikile Brushett with IES.
Dr. Fikile Brushett is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT. He received his B.S.E. from University of Pennsylvania and his M.S.E. and Ph.D. from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research interests include electrochemical energy conversion and storage, microfluidics, interfacial phenomena, catalyst synthesis, and tomography.
Dr. Brushett has most recently been honored by the AIChE’s Allan P. Colburn Award for Excellence in Publications by a Young Member of the Institute in 2022 and the ECS’s Charles W. Tobias Young Investigator Award in 2022.
Further details will be updated here as well as in the new Energy Seminar Series Webpage
November 7-8, 2024 – Phoenix Project: From Kikuchi to Fastest Path
Nuclear Engineering & Radiological Sciences (NERS) is hosting An International Symposium on Sociotechnical Research on Nuclear Technology November 7-8, 2024. The event aims to take stock of how far we have come in the path towards meaningful sociotechnical work in nuclear spaces. Papers are encouraged on a variety of multidisciplinary nuclear themes. If you are interested in submitting your work, please submit abstracts by June 1, 2024. All detailed information can be found here.
November 20, 2024 – IES Energy Seminar Series – Speaker #6
Details to be announced on this page and in the new Energy Seminar Series Webpage
Energy Events Archive
Submit Upcoming Energy Events
If you know of an energy event and would like to share, we greatly appreciate it!
Additional Sources for Events
Please check the following for additional events relevant to energy:
University of Michigan Events (search energy)
Ann Arbor Sustainability Newsletter & Events
Ann Arbor District Library Events (search: website, for: events, “energy”)
Washtenaw County Events (most are not energy related but some may be)
Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Events (not all local, some are virtual)
Department of Energy – BioEnergy Technologies Office Events (not all local, some are virtual)
Department of Energy – Grid Modernization Initiative (not all local, some are virtual)
Department of Energy – Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (not all local, some are virtual)
Department of Energy – Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (not all local, some are virtual)