Rensselaer presented a series of four FREE Webinars featuring timely topics addressed by renowned Rensselaer faculty. The webinars are now archived for free viewing. See the descriptions and links below.
Originally presented
Thursday, September 8
"Fossil Fuels, Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change"
Presented by Professor Sudhangshu Bose
Based on the data collected over the last century and historic data accumulated in prior centuries, the near surface temperature of the earth is increasing. This is known as Global Warming. The Webinar will discuss some details about this warming, the potential causes and impacts of this warming on climate in general.
About Professor Sudhangshu Bose
Dr. Sudhangshu Bose, an expert of international acclaim in High Temperature Coatings and Gas Turbine Engine Materials, is a professor in the Department of Engineering and Science, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Hartford, Connecticut. He has over 30 years of industrial experience at United Technologies Corporation (UTC) both in gas turbine engines and fuel cells. During some of these years he has also taught undergraduate and graduate level courses in engineering at University of Hartford, RPI Hartford, and within UTC. At UTC, Dr. Bose has been the recipient of a number of corporate awards. He received his Ph.D. in 1978 from University of California, Berkeley, California in the field of Materials Science and Engineering. Dr. Bose is the author of a book titled “High Temperature Coatings” published by Elsevier in 2007 and has to his credit 17 patents and a large number of technical papers published in refereed journals. He is a consultant to coating industry, and has been sought after as an invited speaker at several universities and many national and international conferences.
Originally presented
Wednesday, September 14
"Tradable Pollution Permits and Green Taxes"
Presented by Professor James Stodder
What is the evidence that the rise in global temperature has been caused by humans? The view that it has been is supported by the vast majority of climate scientists, and now by most US citizens as well.
The proper response to global warming, however, is still highly controversial. Are tradable “pollution permits” a better market-friendly form than taxes, or just a hidden form of taxation? Which policies are most favorable to green businesses, and to economic growth overall? Is an economic downturn the wrong time to be subsidizing green investment, or the best time?
About Professor James Stodder
Dr. Stodder’s areas of expertise include corporate and public finance, monetary economics, and the economics of developing and transitional countries.
His research is in the relationship between economic development, inequality, and corruption, and also in the growth of virtual and alternative currencies. He has several book chapters, a dozen articles in refereed journals, and many newspaper and magazine articles.
Professor Stodder has made conference presentations in many countries. He has been invited to speak to staff of the Central Bank of Brazil and the People’s Bank of China He is reasonably fluent in Spanish, and has a working knowledge of Russian, Portuguese, and French.
He has testified as an expert witness before the Connecticut and New York State courts, the Connecticut State Legislature, and the Federal 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund.
Dr. Stodder received his BA from Harvard in 1981, a MS from the University of Essex (UK) in 1983, and a PhD from Yale in 1989, all in the field of Economics.
Originally presented
Tuesday, September 20
"Energy, Energy Efficiency, and the Built Environment"
Presented by Professor Norberto Lemcoff
Buildings in the U.S. today consume about 75 percent of the electricity produced, and 55 percent of the natural gas use. They account for about 40 percent of the total U.S. energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The presentation will analyze the current situation and discuss the existing opportunities and the new technologies that can be implemented to reduce both the consumption of non-renewable resources and the effect on the environment.
About Professor Norberto Lemcoff
Dr. Norberto Lemcoff is a professor in the Department of Engineering and Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Hartford, Connecticut. He has over 20 years of industrial experience at The BOC Group Technical Center and at United Technologies Research Center, where he worked in the areas of reaction engineering, separations, air purification, and energy recovery. Dr. Lemcoff was professor and Chair of the Department of Industries at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He also directed a Research and Development Program in the area of Alternatives Sources of Raw Materials and Energy, and was consultant to several industrial companies in Argentina. He taught graduate courses at the Argentine Steel Institute, University of Sao Paulo (Brazil), University of Houston and Carnegie Mellon University. Also gave seminars at Universities in USA, Canada, England, France, Spain, China, Brazil and Argentina. Dr. Lemcoff was Chair of the Separations Division of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Chair of Local Sections, and is a Fellow of the Institute. He received research grants from the University of Buenos Aires, Secretary of Science and Technology (Argentina), and TSWG-U.S. Department of Defense. He has co-authored 14 US patents and over 80 refereed papers.
Dr. Lemcoff holds the degrees of Licenciado and Doctor in Industrial Chemistry from the University of Buenos Aires, and a Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College, London.
Originally presented
Wednesday, October 5
"Photovoltaic Systems: Science, Technology and Opportunity"
Presented by Professor Houman Younessi
This webinar will discuss photovoltaic systems (solar cells and their associated technologies) as a significant and progressively important method of production of energy. It will briefly explore the underpinning science of how solar cells and similar technologies produce energy, what technologies are involved and how they differ, and perhaps most importantly, how the differences in these technologies are providing great opportunities for a relatively wide variety of applications of photovoltaic systems.
About Professor Houman Younessi
Houman Younessi is Assistant Dean of Academic programs and Professor of Science, Engineering and Management at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute – Hartford Graduate Campus. Houman is an internationally renowned educator, practitioner, consultant and investigator. He is the inventor of the SBM (State Behavior Modeling) method and the co-inventor of the OPEN methodology and the new paradigm of recombinant programming. Dr Younessi combines research based knowledge with recognized industry experience to bring forth innovations to the classroom and to industry where his consultation is regularly sought by many leading organizations. A multi-disciplinarian, he has publications and expertise in many fields including software engineering, information systems, business and enterprise management and enterprise modeling and co-design, decision science, managerial economics and econometrics. Dr. Younessi is regularly invited to speak at many prestigious venues.