Photo recap: Future of Energy Forum 2024

Marcilynn Burke, dean of Tulane Law School, delivered an opening message on Wednesday to kick off the 3-day forum.

Tulane University hosted the inaugural Future of Energy Forum on Nov. 13-15, 2024, at the Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life, gathering global thought leaders and experts across business, academia, government and nonprofits. Attendees met across 30+ events, including networking roundtables, keynote sessions and Q&As, to discuss this year's theme: "Can Energy Pragmatism Secure Our Energy Future?"

The forum enabled interdisciplinary conversations around how to build the energy systems of the future. Tulane News rounded up some photo highlights from the forum's keynote sessions. Stay tuned for a full recap to come.

(Photos by Kenny Lass and Tyler Kaufman)

The forum's opening keynote session on Wednesday, Nov. 13, focused on the Future Use of Energy in Louisiana (FUEL), which is a coalition of universities, industry partners, government entities and other stakeholders focused on the energy transition of Louisiana's industrial corridor. FUEL is funded by a National Science Foundation Engines grant of $160 million.

From left: Moderator Kimberly Gramm, the David & Marion Mussafer Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer at the Tulane University Innovation Institute; Ashwith Chilvery, director of use-inspired research & development at FUEL; Lacy McManus, workforce development director at FUEL; Stephen Loy, director of technology commercialization at FUEL; and Michael Mazzola, executive director at FUEL Tulane President Michael A. Fitts delivered opening remarks on Thursday, Nov. 14, before welcoming Hon. Mark Menezes, president and CEO of the United States Energy Association, and Hon. Dan Brouillette, president and CEO of Edison Electric Institute, to speak. Newcomb-Tulane College Career Services hosted a roundtable for students interested in a career in the energy industry to connect with companies. The Times-Picayune sponsored Thursday's keynote with author Jay Hakes (right), presidential and energy historian and author of "The Presidents and the Planet: Climate Change Science and Politics From Eisenhower to Bush." The session was titled "Taking the Long View on the Energy Technologies We Need" and moderated by Times-Picayune Deputy Editor Jerry DiColo (left). Pierre Conner (left), executive director of the Tulane Energy Institute, spoke with Aniket Shah (right), managing director and global head of sustainability and transition strategy at Jefferies, for Friday morning's keynote session. In this role, Shah leads research and advisory efforts for investors, corporates and sovereigns on their energy transition and sustainable business efforts. Sessions covered energy issues ranging from international to local, and the forum's final keynote session brought it home to Louisiana with "Hydrogen Bayou: Louisiana's Position as the Next Hydrogen Hub." The session was moderated by Eric Smith (left), associate director of the Tulane Energy Institute, and featured speakers Hon. John Bel Edwards (center left), former governor of Louisiana and special counsel on renewable energy for Fishman Haygood; Leigh D'Angelo (center right), senior manager of marketing and communications from Modern Hydrogen; and James P. Donahue (right), assistant professor of chemistry of the School of Science and Engineering.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.