UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA—OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
701-777-2731 www.und.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—Monday, June 6, 2011—U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary to speak at Cleantech 2011 Workshop & Action Summit opening reception on June 19th in Grand Forks, ND

Dr. Henry Kelly, the acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and a national expert in clean energy, will be the keynote speaker at the Cleantech 2011 Workshop & Action Summit to be held June 19-21 at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, ND.  During the opening reception on June 19th, Dr. Kelly will speak about the energy potential of the Upper Midwest.

EERE supports activities to increase the efficiency of devices and facilities that consume energy, such as improved lighting systems, more energy efficient engines, etc.  They also support technologies leading to the development of renewable products such as transportation fuels like ethanol and sources of electric power generation such as improved solar energy.  Kelly manages EERE’s broad energy portfolio with a $2.4 billion annual budget; guiding and accelerating the national transition to a clean energy economy.

“EERE is the Department of Energy’s primary agency for fostering and developing ways to extend our nation’s fossil fuel resources,” said Dr. Wayne Seames, distinguished professor of chemical engineering in the UND School of Engineering and Mines and director of North Dakota SUNRISE the Program.  Seames is the Cleantech event chair.  “EERE’s mission corresponds closely to the topics of Cleantech 2011.  We are very excited to have Dr. Kelly’s participation.”

Prior to the DOE, Kelly served as President of the Federation of American Scientists, Assistant Director of Technology for the Office of Science and Technology Policy under President Clinton, Senior Associate at the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment, Assistant Director of the Solar Energy Research Institute (now the National Renewable Energy Laboratory), staff at the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and Special Assistant and Senior Scientist at the EERE.

Kelly is an elected fellow of both the American Physical Society (APS) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.  He is the 2002 winner of APS's Leo Szilard Lectureship Award for "promoting the use of physics for the benefit of society," and was named the biannual "Champion of Energy Efficiency" in 2000 by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.  He is the author of numerous books and articles on issues in science and technology policy.  Kelly has a Ph.D. in Physics from Harvard University and a Bachelors of Science in Physics from Cornell University.

Cleantech 2011 is a unique combination of events designed to foster and promote sustainable energy-related technology centers.  It is hosted by two University of North Dakota-based groups—the Sustainable Energy Research Initiative and Supporting Education (SUNRISE) program and the Center for Innovation.

Details:
The Cleantech 2011 Workshop and Action Summit will be held June 19-21 at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks.  Registration and sponsorships are currently being accepted.  To register for Cleantech 2011 or learn more about participation and sponsorship opportunities visit:

http://theresearchcorridor.com/sunrise/index.html

Cost:  Full Attendee $225; Student Attendee $50

About ND SUNRISE (Sustainable Energy Research Initiative and Supporting Education):
ND SUNRISE is a student-centered, faculty-organized supercluster consisting of 35 faculty in 13 academic departments at the University of North Dakota, North Dakota State University, and Mayville State University.  ND SUNRISE research focuses on three areas: the technologies to enable the environmentally sustainable use of coal, the production of fuels, chemicals, polymers, and composites from renewable sources, and the harvesting of energy from diffuse sources (wind/solar/hydrogen).

About the UND Center for Innovation:
The UND Center for Innovation provides assistance to innovators, entrepreneurs, and researchers to launch new ventures, commercialize new technologies, and secure access to capital from private and public sources.  The Center for Innovation is a partner in the CleanTech Open www.cleantechopen.com a regional and national initiative to foster clean technology startup entrepreneurs.

Useful links:
ND SUNRISE see www.und.edu/org/sunrise/index.html
UND Center for Innovation www.innovators.net

Tiffany Roberts
Cleantech Program Coordinator
UND Center for Innovation
701-777 3132
tiffany@innovators.net

Juan Miguel Pedraza
National Media Relations Coordinator
UND Office of University Relations
701-777-6571 office 701-740-1321 cell
juanpedraza@mail.und.edu