2008 ALUMNI SUMMER COLLEGE
This Year's Theme—Energy!
It’s almost impossible to go a full day without hearing some reference to energy: gas prices, presidential politics, recycling and sustainability – all are part of our daily lives as the world tries to address emerging energy challenges. Fittingly, the 2008 Alumni Summer College theme was “energy.” Alumni and friends walked away from the experience with a better understanding of the problems, potential solutions, and the role UT is playing in developing “green” energy sources.
The UTK Office of Alumni Affairs has hosted Alumni Summer College since 1982, when the World’s Fair was in Knoxville. The event give graduates an opportunity to return to campus for five days filled with fun, fellowship, and outstanding presentations by UT faculty, staff, and other experts.
This year’s keynote speaker was Dr. James Roberto, deputy director for science and technology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He kicked off the event with a presentation titled “Science for the Energy Challenge.” Alumni Summer College participants also enjoyed hearing from the following faculty, staff, and experts:
- Sarah Surak, UT sustainability and public relations manager, “Making Orange Green”
- Sam Jackson, research associate, UT Office of Bioenergy Programs, “Fill’er Up with Switchgrass”
- Dr. Randall Gentry, director, Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment, and associate professor, UT civil and environmental engineering, “Sustainability Science and Technology: A New Roadmap for Our Future”
- Dr. S.J. Paddison, associate professor, UT Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, “The Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell: A Power Source in a Hydrogen Economy”
- Dr. Lee Riedinger, professor, UT Department of Physics and Astronomy, “Responding to the Country’s Energy Problems”
- Dr. Bob Shelton, UT Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy; research professor of economics and senior fellow for energy policy, “New Directions for U.S. Energy Policy” (with Jerry Paul)
- Jerry Paul, Baker Center distinguished fellow for energy policy, “New Directions for U.S. Energy Policy” (with Dr. Bob Shelton)
- Participants also enjoyed “Lunch with the Deans” at the Agriculture Campus and dinner at the home of Gene and Lynn Overholt on the banks of the Tennessee River. The Overholts are UT alumni and Alumni Summer College participants.
Participants visited Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Department of Energy’s largest science and energy laboratory. At ORNL, which has been managed since 2000 by a partnership between UT and Battelle, participants learned about the National Center for Computational Sciences, the Spallation Neutron Source, and other ORNL initiatives.
Saturday featured a field trip to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge with stops at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, the Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair, and dinner at Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede.
Pictured above: A group photo taken at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Want to see more pictures of ASC 2008? Visit our Flickr site!
