From the Academic Director

I’ve always loved September and the start of school. Thoughts of a new school year bring the hope and excitement of new learning journeys – what topic or idea should I choose to dig into? How will my professor tackle this subject? How will I see the world differently at the end of the year? Education today is bursting with newness – new digital tools, new takes on old ideas, an expanding cornucopia of perspectives. It’s also faced with deep challenges brought on by changing technology, social turmoil, and a natural institutional inertia. As Newton's first law of motion teach us, objects at rest tend to stay at rest, and people and institutions are objects too. Sometimes we need to seek out areas of dynamism and figure out how to swim with the stream.

One such area of dynamism that is core to the Irving Institute’s educational mission is the emerging study and pedagogy of energy justice. The scholarship of energy justice, which investigates the inequitable distribution of the benefits and costs of our energy systems and explores strategies to enhance justice as we navigate energy transitions, has gained tremendous momentum over the past decade. The teaching of energy justice is growing right on the heels of this burgeoning area of research. At the Institute, we are building a new online course on energy justice designed for people who want to bring it into their work in energy, environment, and sustainability, but who aren’t sure how to get started. We’re studying how college-level educators design courses on energy justice and bring the topic into other energy and environmental teaching. And we’re crafting our own internal policies on how, as an education and research center, we can foster greater diversity and equity in our own operations.

We are not experts at this yet, but we have started on our way and are eager to learn from and partner with our friends and collaborators. It is a learning journey that we can refresh each September, when students return in number to the Upper Valley and the leaves start to turn red and gold.
 

Irving Institute Welcomes Two New Advisory Board Members

The Irving Institute for Energy and Society is pleased to announce two new members of its Advisory Board: Rose Mutiso '08, TH'08, and Robin Nunn '99. Their terms began on July 1, 2021.

In welcoming the new members, Board Chair Scott Fisher '93, TH'93, TU'98, stated, "We are very excited that Rose and Robin are joining the Board. Both are highly accomplished in areas that are integral to the mission of the Irving Institute. Rose is one of the foremost leaders in developing innovative energy strategies, particularly with respect to advancing energy access and empowering women in Africa. Robin brings world-class legal expertise in both the finance and technology sectors, and outstanding experience in developing ESG strategies and advancing environmental and racial justice. The Irving Institute's strategy and work will undoubtedly be enhanced by Rose and Robin's passion and abilities to make a positive difference in our world."

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Irving Institute Supports Tuck Student Carbon Offsetting Pilot Program

The Irving Institute for Energy and Society recently announced a $5,000 grant to support the newly established Tuck Carbon Offsetting Program's (TCOP) inaugural offset of 1,137 tons of carbon. Led by Tuck's Revers Center for Energy, this student-run program is guided by Revers Center for Energy MBA Fellows alongside student leadership from Tuck Sustains. Partnering with market leader, Cool Effect, Tuck Class of 2021 students Mark Orloff and Colin Cinder applied for Irving Institute funding. Not only does the funding help get the program off the ground, it also demonstrates its effectiveness both in terms of enhancing the sustainability of campus operations while also engaging the support of the broader Dartmouth community.

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Experts Weigh in on the Biden Administration Infrastructure Proposal

On Wednesday, July 28 the Dartmouth Energy Collaborative hosted a mini-symposium, "Clean Energy Infrastructure is Human Infrastructure," featuring a distinguished panel of experts from across disciplines to "dig in" to the Biden Administration's massive infrastructure proposal. As Amanda Graham, Irving Institute Academic Director explained, "We chose the title of today's event to call out the fact that infrastructure means more than roads and bridges and railways and power grids... it also includes people, the people who build and maintain those physical systems, and the people who are directly and indirectly affected by them."

The panel, which included Erin Mayfield, a new faculty member at the Thayer School, Jeanette Pablo from the Clean Air Task Force, Sam Ricketts from the Center for American Progress, and Peggy Shepard from WE ACT for Environmental Justice, was moderated by two Irving Institute Advisory Board Members, Aimee Barnes '04, Founder and CEO of Hua Nani Partners and Dan Reicher '78, partner at the Climate Adaptive Infrastructure Fund and Senior Scholar at the Stanford Woods Institute.

Read more and view a recording of this event

Institute Publishes Inclusivity, Equity, and Justice Roadmap

In our June 2020 "Message on Racial Justice and Energy and Society," the Irving Institute committed to developing a plan to ensure that inclusivity, equity, and justice — implicit in our mission — were made explicit in our work.

"As an Institute focused on preparing future generations of energy leaders, we know that our work is embedded in the struggles for more just and equitable futures for our students. Sustainable energy futures in the U.S. and abroad require leadership that includes Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other people of color and other marginalized groups. We have a responsibility to actively contribute to the realization of these futures. Our mission is to advance energy futures that are affordable, sustainable, and reliable for all people, and that especially includes those whose lives and communities are systematically disadvantaged."

Over the past year, the Institute staff and members of our Advisory Board have worked to develop a plan that articulates our goals and ensures that we remain accountable to them. We are grateful to the many friends of the Institute who reviewed and offered constructive feedback on the plan.

The plan, "An Inclusivity, Equity, and Justice Roadmap for the Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society," is now available here. A summary of our vision and goals is available here. We regard this as a living document that we will update, expand, and refine as we continue to learn. We welcome your comments, as well. Please share your thoughts via email at irving.institute@dartmouth.edu.

Celebrating Our Faculty Affiliates and Advisors

A number of Irving Institute faculty affiliates and advisors have been recognized recently for their achievements in scholarship, teaching, and engagement. Congratulations to all!

Fall Events

We're excited to kick off a new academic year with our New Energy: Conversations with Early-Career Energy Researchers series and our Dartmouth Energy Collaborative Seminar Series. Both will remain in the virtual format for fall term!

New Energy: Conversations with Early-Career Energy Researchers

Dr. Abel Gustafson, University of Cincinnati

Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 12 p.m. ET

DEC Energy Seminars: Building a Resilient, Sustainable Future: Perspectives on Buildings and Energy

Rosi Kerr, Dartmouth Sustainability Director

Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 12:15 p.m. ET

Work with the Irving Institute!

Do you love working with college students?  Are you fascinated by energy and climate? Are you passionate about connecting students with transformative work and learning experiences? The Irving Institute for Energy and Society is looking for a team-oriented professional with a strong energy background to develop and lead a portfolio of undergraduate programming. Learn more here and please share widely with your networks!