October News from Dartmouth's Irving Institute for Energy and Society

Events, activities, and news from the Irving Institute

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News from the Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society at Dartmouth: October 2020

We are almost halfway through the fall 2020 term at Dartmouth and we continue to seek out opportunities to engage with you on energy and society topics; through courses like Energy 101 and seminar series like our DEC lunches (though the virtual space requires lunch to be BYO!) and New Energy early-career researchers series. We also feel the weight of current challenges. The ongoing toll of the pandemic is shaping campus, our nation and world in ways we never imagined. The ever-more-severe consequences of a changing climate demand concerted action. And staying present and fully engaged in the face of it all is hard. We remain grateful for the enthusiasm, creativity, and flexibility of our students, colleagues, and friends as we navigate this difficult terrain. We also remain committed to supporting each other as we work toward affordable, sustainable, and reliable energy futures for all.

~ Elizabeth J. Wilson

Construction Milestone: Irving Institute Building Topping-Off Ceremony Set for Oct. 13

Architect's rendering of the new home of the Irving Institute for Energy and Society.

President Philip J. Hanlon ’77 invites you to celebrate the "topping-off" of the new home of the Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society on Tuesday, October 13 at 1 p.m. EDT. This tradition marks the placement of the final steel beam on the new building, signaling the successful completion of the structural phase of the project. Scheduled to open in the fall of 2021, the Institute building will be located on Tuck Mall and will be the most energy efficient building on campus. The event will be broadcast live on the Dartmouth website at dartgo.org/Irving.

Energy and the Election: Fall DEC Energy Seminars Focus on Pivotal Civic Moment

Hanover election workers accept absentee ballots in a tent outside of the Leverone Field House polling place during the New Hampshire state primary election on Sept. 8. Photo credit: Dartmouth College / Brelynn Hess

While often invisible in our daily lives, energy intersects with nearly every aspect of human experience, from health to wealth to the environment. As American voters cast their ballots in the November elections, the pandemic, the economy, and the climate will be among the issues at the forefront of their minds.

This fall, the Dartmouth Energy Collaborative (comprising the Irving Institute, the Revers Center for Energy at Tuck, the Thayer School of Engineering, and the Dartmouth Sustainability Office) is hosting speakers who explore energy-related issues that are impacting – and will be impacted by — the election.

Learn more about the series and upcoming speakers here.

Energy 101 Goes Virtual for Fall 2020

How has energy use changed over the past 100 years and what will it look like in the future? What can the Sankey diagram tell us about how humans use energy across the globe? How have fossil fuels shaped our lives? What on earth is a joule?

Energy 101, the Irving Institute's free, not-for-credit course geared toward learners with little to no experience with energy, aims to offer answers to these and other foundational energy and society topics during fall term.

While the Institute has offered the course three times before, fall 2020 marks the first time Energy 101 has been available to online audiences. Participants are welcome to participate live, each Tuesday evening from 7 - 8 p.m. (EDT) through October 27, where they can ask questions of the presenters and join small breakout groups to discuss concepts and connect with others interested in energy. The online format also gives learners who can't make the live session an opportunity to catch up via archived videos.

You can learn more about the series and upcoming topics as well as find links to recorded sessions and supporting materials here.

Recent articles about the Institute and the Dartmouth Energy Community

•	October 7: Virtual Learning Should and Can Be Hands-On: Thayer School Dean and Institute affiliate Alexis Abramson provides advice on how to replicate the experiential learning of labs, group projects and field research in virtual and hybrid classes in this Inside Higher Ed piece.
•	September 29: The World is Getting Serious About Climate. Is It Too Late? Institute Director Elizabeth Wilson is quoted in this recent E&E News article.
•	September 24: Institute Academic Director Moderates Panels at International Conference of Sustainable Development: Dr. Amanda Graham moderated two panels at the international conference this year, one of which she organized.
•	September 15: Institute Board Member Dan Reicher ’78 Moderates Magnuson Center Energy Tech, Finance, and Policy Panel: Dan Reicher moderated a panel as part of the Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship's Entrepreneurs Forum in September.
•	September 15: Arctic Research and Policy: As part of the Irving Institute's efforts to extend networks, work toward solutions to energy challenges that start with societal needs, and build on Dartmouth's existing research strengths, Research Director Stephen Doig has been representing the Institute as part of a number of Arctic-related projects.
•	September 11: Institute Affiliate Ian Baker Awarded NSF Grant: Irving Institute faculty affiliate Ian Baker, who is the Sherman Fairchild Professor of Engineering and Senior Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs at the Thayer School of Engineering, was recently awarded more than $500,000 from the National Science Foundation for a project that grew out of an Irving Institute seed-grant funded project.
•	August 21: Publication Note: Elizabeth Wilson in One Earth: Irving Institute Director and Environmental Studies Professor Elizabeth Wilson was included in a One Earth article called "Barriers to Negative-Emissions Technologies."
•	August 3: Institute Affiliate Baker and Liu Receive DOE Grant for Solar Power System: Irving Institute affiliates Ian Baker and Jifeng Liu have received a three-year $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Mark Your Calendars!

October 13 | DEC Energy Seminars: Jennie Stephens, Northeastern University, "Diversifying Power: Why We Need Antiracist, Feminist Leadership on Climate and Energy." Register

October 21 | New Energy Series: Diana Hernandez, Columbia University, "Energy, Poverty and Health in a Changing Climate: Implications for Policy and Practice." Register

October 27 | DEC Energy Seminars: Leah Stokes, USB, "Short Circuiting Policy: Interest Groups and the Battle Over Clean Energy and Climate Policy in the American States" Register