Governments, major corporations, and the general
public are all finally showing signs of accepting what scientists
have been preaching for decades—global warming is a
serious threat to the health and economic well-being of the
world. While these constituencies may have been tardy in answering
the wake-up call, Robert Amundsen, Ph.D., can’t contain
his enthusiasm that true headway is finally being made. “It
is on everybody’s radar screen,” says Amundsen,
an associate professor of energy management at NYIT, which
offers several undergraduate and graduate degrees in related
fields. “Now is the time to engage leaders in what they
can and should be doing to face this challenge.”
That is why NYIT co-hosted the International Energy Conference
and Exhibition 2007 in February in Daegu, South Korea.
“Ideally, we all want energy that is plentiful, inexpensive,
accessible, and clean,” says Herbert Fox, Ph.D., NYIT
professor of mechanical engineering. “It is our duty
as global citizens to apply the best of our knowledge and
resources toward the goal of energy efficiency.”
Co-hosted by Uiduk University and co-sponsored by the United
Nations Development Project, the World Bank, and the Korea
Electric Power Company and its subsidiaries, the South Korean
conference attracted leaders of multi-national corporations,
international policymakers, and Korean scholars. It was the
first of a series of energy forums NYIT plans to hold in conjunction
with other universities throughout the world. The next conference
is scheduled to take place in India.
Fox recalls speaking with Uiduk president Jae Hook Han, Ph.D.,
at the end of the conference. “She said it was the best
three days of her career,” he says. It was a highlight
of his tenure as well. “There was so much information,
so much to assimilate. These issues are not going away, and
we must consider how to address global energy needs in light
of global climate change.”
Topics ranged from sustainable growth initiatives to creating
a blueprint for investment opportunities in the energy industry.
Edward Guiliano, Ph.D., president of NYIT, told attendees
about the college’s commitment to research on lowering
the planet’s dependency on fossil fuels through projects
such as hybrid electric automobiles and the U.S. Department
of Energy’s Solar Decathlon.
“Sustainable energy solutions have profound implications
for all of us, regardless of where we are on the economic
growth curve,” he said. Citing the burgeoning need for
new energy sources within industrialized, emerging, and lesser
developed nations, President Guiliano added, “How we
harness what we have—and find ways to create what we
don’t—for all levels of society will remain our
focus.”
TAKING IT TO THE SOURCE
Another of NYIT’s environmental initiatives is introducing
a specialization in energy management to its Master of Business
Administration programs at its international campuses.
The new dean of NYIT’s Bahrain campus, Damon A. Reveles,
Ph.D., says the program was created to provide an educated
workforce to multinational companies that are trying to cut
costs while reducing their impact on the environment. Students
are taught the principles of business along with engineering
skills. “It makes sense to offer it here because of
the important role this region plays in the energy industry,”
Reveles told the Gulf Daily News.
CENTERING ON THE ISSUE
As part of its 2030 strategic plan, NYIT has unveiled its
first interdisciplinary graduate center, the Center for Metropolitan
Sustainability, which includes faculty and staff members from
the schools of Architecture and Design, Engineering and Computing
Sciences, and Management, as well as the College of Arts and
Sciences.
In addition to working on existing projects such as the Solar
Decathlon, the center will offer a graduate certificate and
master’s degree program in sustainability and coordinate
renewable energy efforts with NYIT locations around the world.
“The center’s programs will truly be interdisciplinary
in nature and address a wide range of issues related to sustainability.
Other activities will include hosting conferences, working
with other groups at NYIT to develop an increasingly ‘green
campus,’ and preparing proposals for foundations and
other grant agencies in support of center activities,”
says Richard Pizer, Ph.D., NYIT provost and vice president
for academic affairs.
ENERGETIC ALUMNI
NYIT graduates are also being recognized for the developments
they have made in sustainable alternatives. Joseph Ambrosio
(B.S. ’93) and Konstantinos Sfakianos (B.S. ’93)
of Odyne Corporation, for instance, have been busy creating
eco-friendly cars, buses, and trucks that are powered by hybrid
engines.
“Many of our alumni are working on cutting-edge technology,”
says Amundsen. “Odyne is the perfect example of two
alumni who have formed a successful company and are doing
good things for the world.”
Both Ambrosio and Sfakianos are scheduled to speak at a June
conference on NYIT’s Old Westbury campus that will focus
on energy, climate change, and the role of technology. Amundsen
says the conference is geared toward leaders in all areas
of government, business, health care, and academia. “They
all need to take climate change and its impact into account
when they are planning for the future,” he says.”
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Professor Herb Fox, Ph.D., is part of NYIT's efforts to explore
sustainable energy solutions that benefit a global society.
Edward Guiliano, Ph.D., president of NYIT, speaks to attendees
at the International Energy Conference and Exhibition 2007
held in February in Daegu, South Korea. The event brought
together leaders from the scientific, government, and business
communities to discuss sustainable ways of reducing the world's
reliance on fossil fuels as the demand for energy increases.
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