First SEC Symposium in February 2013 to Include UK Researchers
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Nov. 2, 2012) — Researchers from the University of Kentucky will take part in the 2013 Southeastern Conference Symposium, joining many others from across the Southeastern Conference. Raymond L. Orbach, former United States Undersecretary for Science, will give the plenary address. The inaugural SEC Symposium, titled "Impact of the Southeast in the World's Renewable Energy Future" is scheduled to take place Feb. 10-12, 2013, at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta.
The SEC Symposium addresses a significant scholarly issue across the range of disciplines represented by the Southeastern Conference’s 14 member universities. This event showcases their academic excellence and underscores their educational and economic contributions to the vitality of the region, nation and world.
This year’s event, led by the University of Georgia, will feature a wide variety of presentations from faculty representing each of the 14 SEC member institutions, an SEC university showcase, poster exhibitions and a reception with the SEC presidents, chancellors and provosts.
"The SEC Symposium provides us an outstanding opportunity to highlight the great accomplishments of the faculty and academic initiatives of our 14 member institutions," SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said. "We are honored to have someone as well respected and highly accomplished as Dr. Orbach deliver our plenary address. He will set the tone for this inaugural event for which we are very excited."
Orbach was the first person to hold the position of Undersecretary for Science in the U.S. Department of Energy (2006-09), as appointed by President George W. Bush. Currently the Director of the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, Orbach directs a multi-disciplinary institute at the University of Texas that combines the strengths of the university’s schools and colleges to advance solutions to current energy-related challenges.
Orbach also was the 14th director of the Office of Science at the Department of Energy, where he managed an organization that was the third-largest federal sponsor of basic research in the U.S., a position that was confirmed by the Senate in 2002. He served as the provost of the College of Letters and Science at UCLA from 1982-92 and was chancellor of the University of California-Riverside from 1992-2002. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The inaugural SEC Symposium will focus on research and development efforts in the renewable energy areas of bioenergy, solar energy and wind energy and will display research results and findings among each SEC institution.
"We are excited for the inaugural SEC Symposium," Vanderbilt University Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos said. "This will provide an outstanding way in which to showcase the academic accomplishments and research efforts of our SEC institutions. We are honored to have someone of Dr. Orbach’s stature as our plenary speaker. His experience as one of the nation’s leading energy researchers speaks for itself."
The 2013 SEC Symposium also will feature keynote lectures from Sam Baldwin, chief science officer at the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, and from Steven J. Mirshak, global business director – cellulosic ethanol at DuPont Industrial Biosciences.
A complete list of speakers for the 2013 SEC Symposium is below.
Registration for the 2013 SEC Symposium is now open and may be found online at www.secsymposium.com.
Using its SECU academic initiative, the SEC sponsors, supports and promotes collaborative higher education programs and activities involving administrators, faculty and students at its 14 member universities. The SEC also provides an online platform to showcase achievements of these individuals on regional, national and international levels.
2013 SEC Symposium Presenters:
Plenary: Raymond L. Orbach, former undersecretary for science, DOE and director, Energy Institute, University of Texas at Austin
Keynote: Sam Baldwin, chief science officer, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, DOE
Keynote: Steven J. Mirshak, global business director – cellulosic ethanol, DuPont Industrial BioSciences
• Ajay K. Agrawal, University of Alabama
• John Anthony, University of Kentucky
• Conner Bailey, Auburn University
• Brian Baldwin, Mississippi State University
• Dorin Boldor, Louisiana State University
• Wei-Yin Chen, University of Mississippi
• Song-yul “Ben” Choe, Auburn University
• David Claridge, Texas A&M University
• Mark Crocker, University of Kentucky
• Burt Davis, University of Kentucky
• David Dismukes, Louisiana State University
• David A. Dixon, University of Alabama
• Roger Dougal, University of South Carolina
• Mario Eden, Auburn University
• Karen Guevara, U.S. Department of Energy, Savannah River Operations Office
• Rafael Hernandez, Mississippi State University
• David Hess, Vanderbilt University
• Mark Holtzapple, Texas A&M University
• Lonnie Ingram, University of Florida
• Shibu Jose, University of Missouri
• Pramod Khargonekar, University of Florida
• Steve Krahn, Vanderbilt University
• Alan Mantooth, University of Arkansas
• Marshell Molen, Mississippi State University
• Gary F. Peter, University of Florida
• Joy Doran Peterson, University of Georgia
• Ken Reifsnider, University of South Carolina
• Martha Reifsnider, University of South Carolina
• Timothy G. Rials, University of Tennessee
• Robin Rogers, University of Alabama
• D. Keith Roper, National Science Foundation/University of Arkansas
• J.P. Sharma, University of Mississippi
• Lynn Sollenberger, University of Florida
• James J. Spivey, Louisiana State University
• Phil Steele, Mississippi State University
• H.E. “Hank” Stelzer, University of Missouri
• Steven Taylor, Auburn University
• Chumg-Jui Tsai, University of Georgia
• Tom Zawodzinski, University of Tennessee