Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment

Addressing sustainable clean energy and the environment is a complex issue. It requires scientists to develop the fundamental understanding of materials for renewable energy production and storage; capture, sequestration, and conversion of CO2 produced by fossil fuels; engineers to transform the basic understanding to produce devices; social scientists addressing issues impacting the daily lives of people due to climate change; biologists addressing ecological issues; political scientists addressing policy issues that impact climate change regulations; and outreach activities to educate the public and the students about issues of climate change.

Realizing that addressing these issues requires researchers across disciplines with diverse expertise, Virginia Commonwealth University established effective July 1, 2022, an Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment (ISEE) that is composed of faculty from the College of Humanities and Sciences, College of Engineering, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, School of Education, School of Medicine, and University College.

This two-day symposium invites speakers with diverse expertise to outline the challenges and ways to mitigate these adverse effects caused by fossil fuels that are consistent with the goals of the ISEE. The symposium also provides opportunities to educate the students and disseminate knowledge of sustainable environment and energy to the general public.