For Immediate Release
April 8, 2024, Portland, Oregon

11th IEEE SusTech 2024 Conference program

For more information or to schedule interviews: contact Susan Dickey sueruthmarie@ieee.org

IEEE Sustainable Technologies Conference returns to Portland

In 1993 Portland adopted the first climate action plan with a carbon reduction policy in the US, and has been a leader in sustainability ever since. Last year, the IEEE (Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers), perhaps best known as the standards organization that brought us 802.11 WIFI, launched a Climate Initiative as part of their Future Directions program.

But back in 2012, a group of IEEE volunteers had already launched a conference designed to explore the development and application of science, engineering and technology in achieving a sustainable lifestyle for humanity. Scientists, engineers, technologists and scholars from multiple disciplines came together to hold a dialogue on environmental issues and to develop and utilize innovative tools and intelligent systems to address them.

On April 14-17, 2024, the 2024 11^th IEEE Conference on Technologies for Sustainability (SusTech 2024) takes returns to the University Place Hotel & Conference Center in Portland, OR. Website: https://ieee-sustech.org

Attendees learn about the tools, connections and proactive solutions to take their sustainability programs to the next level. Experts on subjects such as solar power, data center efficiency, battery recycling, urban microvehicles, decarbonizing the US economy, advances in fuel cells and off-shore wind have submitted over 60 papers. Panels will focus on electrification of agriculture, ocean energy generation, heat pump advances, and ethical issues stemming from climate change. See this post: https://ieee-sustech.org/2024/sustech-2024-program-and-events/

 

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Of special interest is the IEEE Young Professionals for Climate Change Action Reception and Panel Discussion, Monday April 15, 6:30-8:00 pm; organized by Oregon Section and Region-6 IEEE Young Professionals and IEEE Women in Engineering. As Hannah Ritchie says on the cover of her 2024 book Not the End of the World, “we can be the first generation to build a sustainable planet.” These young people can help us get there.

Recognizing the significance of engaging young professionals in the fight against climate change, the IEEE Young Professionals program has emerged as a key player in fostering a sustainable future. The aim of the panel forum at the SusTech 2024 Conference is to highlight the pivotal role of IEEE Young Professionals in the realm of climate change, exploring their current contributions and outlining strategies for more proactive engagement.

 

 

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Events of Special Interest at SusTech 2024:

• Interactive one-day Workshop on “Roadmap to Low Carbon Emission Building Materials and Architecture”, April 14, 8:00 am-5:00 pm, organized by the IEEE Future Directions SusTech Initiative

This one-day workshop focuses on methods to decrease carbon emissions in new & existing buildings on materials and architecture to reduce the built environment’s impact on climate change. The workshop provides an informative and idea exchange platform among various stakeholders in the built environment industry with the aim of developing a roadmap for sustainable goals on Low Carbon Emission Building Materials and Architecture.

 

• IEEE Young Professionals for Climate Change Action Reception and Panel Discussion, Monday April 15, 6:30-8:00 pm; organized by Oregon Section and Region-6 IEEE Young Professionals and IEEE Women in Engineering.

Climate change presents one of the most pressing challenges of our time, demanding concerted efforts from individuals, organizations, and governments worldwide. In this context, harnessing the potential of young professionals is crucial for driving innovative solutions and catalyzing meaningful change.

 

• Electrifying Agriculture, April 15, 3:30 PM

Panelists will discuss the Oregon E-Farms Program, research at OSU on Electricity for Weed Management, and the mixing of solar and agriculture, “Agrivoltaics”.

Organized by Wendy Simons from the Oregon Department of Energy.

Panelists:

• • Robert Wallace CEM, Executive Director, Wy’East Resource Conservation and Development (Wy’East RCD), The Dalles (OR): “Oregon E-Farms Program”
  • Marcelo Moretti, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Horticulture, OSU: “Electricity for Weed Management”
  • Chris Toman, PhD candidate, College of Agricultural Sciences, OSU: “Agrivoltaics”

 

• Novel Technologies for Sustainable Ocean Energy Generation, April 16, 2024, 10:30 AM

This panel brings together leading experts, researchers, and innovators to explore groundbreaking advancements in the realm of offshore renewable energy.

Organized by Bill Wilson, IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society

Panelists:

• • Peter F. Green, National Energy Research Laboratory (NREL
  • Daniel Deng, Pacific Northwest National Laboratories
  • Landon Mackey, C-Power, Corvallis, OR
  • Andy Stough, Windlift, Durham, NC

 

• Promising Heat Pump Developments: Perspectives from the Pacific Northwest, April 17, 2024 10:00 AM

Organized by Stephanie Kruse, P.E., a Facilities Engineer from the Oregon Department of Energy.

Panelists:

• • Christopher Dymond, Senior Product Manager, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
  • Thomas Elzinga, Energy Services Manager, Central Electric Cooperative, Inc.
  • Rick Wittgraf, Southern Region Equipment Sales Manager, from Gensco, Inc

 

• Ethics, Energy and Environment – How can we meet our energy needs and still care for the environment in the era of anthropogenic climate change?, April 15, 10:30 AM

Organized by the IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT)

Moderator: Susan Dickey, secretary of IEEE SA P7800 “Recommended Practice for Addressing Sustainability, Environmental Stewardship and Climate Change Challenges in Professional Practice.”

Panelists:

• • Clinton Andrews, Center for Urban Policy Research, Rutgers University
  • Wei Jen Lee, Energy Systems Research Center, University of Texas Arlington
  • Ann M. Marcus, The Marcus Consulting Group Inc., Portland, Oregon
  • Arsalan Abtahi, Chair, IEEE P7803 Working Group

 

Plenary Speakers:

For details, see: https://ieee-sustech.org/program/panels/

• Solar Trends, Wei-Jen Lee, University of Texas at Arlington
• Data Center Efficiency and Sustainability, Eric Dahlen, Intel Data Center and AI Group
• ReCell: Working to Advance Battery Recycling, Eva Allen, Applied Materials Department, Argonne National Laboratory
• A Vision for Mid-Century Sustainable Urban Transportation, Tyler Folsom, University of Washington Bothell
• Electrification is a key strategy for decarbonizing all sectors of the U.S. economy, Hellen Chen, Research Analyst in the Industry Program, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE)
• Electrification and the Grid, Ted Witham & Joe Cappeta, Eaton Corp.
• Special Session: Hot Topics in Sustainability, Maike Luiken, IEEE SusTech Initiative
• Increasing Computing Energy Efficiency is Key Requirement for Sustainability – Tina Kaarsberg, Acting Program Manager, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO), S. Department of Energy (DOE)
• Efficient, Cost-Effective Polymeric Materials Design for Clean Energy and Biomedical Technologies via Biomass Valorization, Shudipto Konika Dishari, Ross McCollum Associate Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Off-shore Wind Power Studies, Dmitry Kosterev, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA)

 

Sponsors

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the world’s largest technical professional society. Founded in 1884 by a handful of practitioners of the new electrical engineering discipline, today’s Institute is comprised of more than 460,000 members who conduct and participate in its activities in 166 countries. The men and women of the IEEE are the technical and scientific professionals making the revolutionary engineering advances, which are reshaping our world today.

SusTech 2024 patrons include Makersite, the IEEE Humanitarian Technologies Board, Nature Reviews Clean Technology, the IEEE SusTech Initiative.

Sponsors for SusTech 2024 include the IEEE Oregon, San Fernando Valley, Foothill, Orange County, and Coastal Los Angeles Sections, IEEE Region 6, IEEE-USA, IEEE SSIT; and co-sponsors include the IEEE Standards Association, the IEEE IAS, OES, PES, and TEMS Societies and the IEEE Sensors Council.