Petroleum prices have doubled in the past three years amid rocketing global demand and supply chain disruptions from political unrest and natural disasters. At the same time, concern about the impact of fossil fuel use on global climate and environmental quality has spurred a search for alternatives. In this session, scientists and engineers discuss the progress being made in unlocking energy from plants and waste, and the steps needed to move these innovations from the lab to the pump.

Charles Wyman, Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, UC Riverside
Tomoyuki Yamaya, Professor of Agriculture and head of Life Science, Tohoku University
Jim Flatt, Senior VP, Research & Development, Mascoma Corp
Jim Guthrie, President, Viresco Energy LLC

A new generation of engineering tools is giving us materials with unprecedented properties, produced by new processes that save energy. How long will it take for new materials based on nanotechnology and living systems to have an impact on the products we use every day, from calculators to cars?

Javier Garay, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, UC Riverside
David Kisailus, Professor of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, UC Riverside
Takashi Goto, Professor and Director of Multi-functional Materials Science Division of The Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University
David Kyser, Senior Director, Strategic External Research, Applied Materials Inc

Sunshine is free, but electricity from the sun is still our most expensive option. UCR is pushing the frontiers of solar energy on several fronts: ultra-efficient photovoltaic panels for applications such as satellites, inexpensive organic cells that could make household solar energy competitive, and methods to store and transport solar energy as heat. The sun is rising on solar power in America, and this session will update you on the latest developments and the outlook.

Alexander Balandin, Professor of Electrical Engineering, UC Riverside
Mihri Ozkan, Professor Electrical Engineering, UC Riverside
Noritaka Usami, Professor, Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University
Michael Bacich, Manager, Solar Power Systems, Riverside Public Utilities
William Bottenberg, VP, Quality Assurance, Energy Innovations Inc.

Transportation accounts for more than half of America’s petroleum consumption. Improving the transportation system’s efficiency – from the vehicle’s powertrain to the entire system of streets and highways – will have dramatic impacts on the economy, mobility, and environmental quality. In this session, you will learn how smarter cars, smarter roads, and smarter energy choices will change the way America drives.

Yushan Yan, Professor and University Scholar, Chemical & Environmental Engineering, UC Riverside
Matthew Barth, Director of the Center for Environmental Research Technology and Professor of Electrical Engineering, UC Riverside
Hitoshi Takamura, Professor of Materials Science, Tohoku University
Matt Miyasato, Manager, Vehicle Technologies, South Coast Air Quality Management District

Panel Discussion: Innovation and Technology Transfer

Yasuo Suda, Professor of Department of Nano-structure and Advanced Materials, Director of Venture Business Laboratory, Kagoshima University
Craig Sheward, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Research UC Riverside
The WIRED Project Team

Concluding remarks by Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge, City of Riverside

Tours will be available at nearby CE-CERT the Bourns' College Center for Environmental Research and Technology