Previous Issues
EEMI Conducts Wartime Webinar with Ukrainian Colleagues
On May 5, 2022, EEMI conducted a real-time webinar with a group of government and NGO colleagues in the middle of war-torn Ukraine. The event provided the audience with a first-hand understanding of the war situation though the eyes of our friends in Ukraine.
EEMI Hosts GW-European Commission Meeting
On February 17, 2022, EEMI hosted a meeting among three GW Deans, led by SEAS Dean John Lach, with senior representatives of the European Commission (EC).
EEMI Granted Membership in the United Nations Climate Technology Centre and Network
On July 13, 2022, the UN Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) granted full membership to the GW Environmental and Energy Management Institute.
EEMI Co-Hosts Major Symposium on Carbon Pricing with the European Union
On June 15, 2022, the SEAS Environmental and Energy Management Institute served as a co-host, along with the Delegation to the U.S. of the European Union, of a symposium entitled “Effective Public Policy on Carbon Pricing in Support of Climate Objectives: Views from North America and Europe.”
EEMI Conducts Meeting with European Commission Director-General for Energy
On January 27, 2022, EEMI faculty met with European Commission Director-General for Energy Ditte Juul Jorgenson and other European Commission officials to discuss a partnership between GW and the European Commission to promote worldwide sustainability, including energy security and response to the global climate change challenge.
EEMI Conducts Microgrid Controls Demonstration on Foggy Bottom Campus
On February 25, 2022, EEMI conducted a day-long microgrid controls demonstration at GW’s Potomac Plaza, next to the Gelman Library.
2022 Graduation Celebration
In the first in-person graduation event since the beginning of the COVID pandemic in early 2020, the 2022 Environmental and Energy Management graduates participated among the more than 700 graduate and undergraduate School of Engineering and Applied Science students who graduated on May 13, 2022.
EEMI Conducts Widely Attended Webinars with Senior European Commission Officials
During the Spring and early Summer semesters, EEMI conducted two webinars with senior European Commission officials as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen GW’s partnership with the European Union.
EEMI Quoted in Major Media
EEM Professor Jonathan Deason was quoted extensively in a Newsweek magazine article about the current U.S. megadrought
News of EEM Students and Faculty
In November 2021, Dr. Ed Saltzberg, EEMI’s Director of Professional Education, received the 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award from Leaders in Energy as a notable Climate Educator.
EEM Establishes Two New Graduate Certificates with the GW School of Business
Graduate students in the GW School of Business (GWSB) became able to pursue two new graduate certificates in the Fall 2021 semester as part of a new partnership with the Environmental and Energy Management concentration, preparing students for emerging careers that combine the need for management and business skills with E&EM knowledge.
EEM Undertakes Water Sustainability Initiative to Assist Ukraine with Climate Change Impacts
The day after President Joe Biden met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to renew a defense and security pact between the two countries, Ukraine’s agricultural minister came to George Washington University to meet with experts from the Environmental and Energy Management Institute (EEMI) to explore working together to mitigate the impact of climate change on the country’s agricultural sector.
EEM Faculty Have an Active Season with Conference Presentation
On June 15, 2021, EEMI Professor Joe Casio gave a plenary address at the U.S.-China Carbon Neutral Technology Innovation Summit, sponsored by the George W. Bush China Foundation, the National Center for Sustainable Development, and the Energy Investment Professional Committee of the China Investment Association, along with Neil Bush and other notable speakers.
EEMI Trio Undertakes U.S.Department of Energy Funded Energy System Management Project
In the Fall 2021 semester, EEMI Professors Saniya LeBlanc, Ekundayo Shittu and Payman Dehghanian landed a grant from the US DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to analyze the GW Foggy Bottom Campus energy management system to determine how urban centers with diverse energy sources can integrate new technology and tackle modern energy challenges.
EEMI Rolls Out Major Upgrade to Energy Resilience Professional Education Program
In the Fall 2021 semester, EEMI Director of Professional education Dr. Ed Saltzberg announced a major new program focusing on energy resilience including training on strategies for strengthening supply chains, decarbonizing buildings, developing intelligent technologies, electrifying transportation and production, and working in dynamic energy markets.
EEMI Conducts Webinar Series with Top Worldwide Environmental and Energy Leaders
EEMI’s international environmental and energy leadership series continued to attract widespread attention throughout the Fall 2021 semester.
Prof. Helveston Discusses Climate Change with John Kerry on CNN Show
EEM Professor John Paul Helveston appeared on CNN’s “Climate Crisis Town Hall” television program on April 23, 2021. EEM Professor John Paul Helveston appeared on CNN’s “Climate Crisis Town Hall” television program on April 23, 2021. The show coincided with a couple of related major events – the 2021 Earth Day activities and President Biden’s April 20-21 worldwide Climate Summit, at which the leaders of 40 nations around the world, in addition to Biden and senior members of his Administration, participated.
News of EEM Students and Faculty
EEM Master’s graduate Mansi Talwar was appointed as the Executive Director for Utilities, Engineering and Energy at GW on May 17, 2021, so we’ll seeing her around campus again soon after we get past the COVID restrictions. Mansi previously worked for the D.C. Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) organization where she Managed the engineering team that included several other EEM grads and worked on implementation of several energy efficiency programs in the District. Mansi recently welcomed her baby boy who was born last October, you can see both enjoying their respective beverages in the picture.
New EPA Administrator is a GW Grad
The new Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Michael S. Regan, is quite familiar with GW environmental programs, being one of our grads himself. Administrator Regan, who was overwhelmingly confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 10, 2021, received his Master of Public Administration degree from GW’s Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration, an important affiliate of the EEMI, in 2004.
Former Colombian Environmental Minister Conducts SEAS Webinar
On January 11, 2021, two-time EEM graduate Dr. Juan Pablo Bonilla conducted a virtual webinar for students, faculty, and prospective students at the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Juan Pablo presently is a top-level manager at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, D.C. as the Managing Director of the Climate Change and Sustainable Development programs.
EEMI “Leadership in Our Time” Series Proves Extremely Popular
The Environmental and Energy Management Institute’s webinar series on “Leadership in Our Time” series has drawn large numbers of participants and rave reviews this year so far. The 2021 series opened up on January 8, 2021, with GW President Thomas LeBlanc anchoring the year’s first webinar entitled “Sixty Minutes with Ditte Juul-Jørgensen and András Simonyi.” Ms. Juul-Jørgensen, currently is the Director General for Energy at the European Commission, and Mr. Simonyi, is a former Hungarian Ambassador to the United States. They discussed adoption of the European Green Deal and the EU’s goal to become climate neutral by 2050.
GW Conducts Sustainability Summit
On February 11, 2021, Sustainable GW hosted a virtual Sustainability Summit on the theme – Reflect, Innovate, Recreate. The day-long event that featured leaders from academia, industry, and government tackling the topics of climate resilience, social justice, environmental equity, historical GHG emissions, and energy innovation with an eye toward the next century.
GW Signs Global Climate Action Letter
In late December 2020, GW joined other institutions in recognizing the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement by restating its support of clean energy in pursuit of climate action. In doing so, GW joined more than 1,000 organizations and 142 cities across the United States in supporting a clean energy economy and prioritizing climate action in their operations.
EEMI Letter Published by the Washington Post
In late December 2020, GW joined other institutions in recognizing the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement by restating its support of clean energy in pursuit of climate action. In doing so, GW joined more than 1,000 organizations and 142 cities across the United States in supporting a clean energy economy and prioritizing climate action in their operations.
Two Spring Courses to Focus on Major Changes in Federal Environmental Policies Under the Biden/Harris Administration
With the pending sea change in Federal environmental and energy policies associated with the Administration transition, the GW Environmental and Energy Management graduate program is offering two Spring 2021 semester courses to support the new directions of our Nation.
News of EEM Students and Faculty
EEMI Director of Climate Change Dr. Rachael Jonassen recently completed a 13-month assignment with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), leading a team of 44 specialists designing a low carbon plan for the city of Xiangtan, China. Dr. Jonassen was responsible for documenting the carbon reduction impacts of the project throughout the 25-year lifetime of the loan, and her work has been cited by the ADB as a “best practice” and “model project for low carbon development.” Eight GW graduate students were involved in this project.
EEMI Board Member Inducted into the National Academy of Engineering
Dr. Lilia Abron, a long-time member of the Board of Advisors of the SEAS Environmental and Energy Management Institute, was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering on October 4, 2020.
EEM Professor Ekundayo Shittu Lands Multiple Research Grants
During the Fall 2020 semester, EEM Associate Professor Ekundayo worked with other members of his research teams to be awarded two major research grants. One of these awards was a $150,000 planning grant from the National Science Foundation to improve low-income household energy access in the District of Columbia. Prof. Shittu worked with an interdisciplinary team of GW faculty to land the grant.
EEMI Co-Hosts Natural Resources Symposium
On September 17, 2020, the GW Environmental and Energy Management Institute co-hosted a web-based symposium entitled “Natural Resources at a Crossroads: How 2020 Has Affected Natural Resources Law and Policy,” with the Environmental Law Institute, the GW Law School and the Industry Natural Resource Management Group. The event highlighted the importance of private/public collaborations to advance shared objectives.
GW Expands Renewable Energy Commitment with New On-Campus Solar Panels
Despite the COVID pandemic, GW has remained active in tits commitment to renewable energy by providing rooftop space on five on-campus buildings for solar photovoltaic panels that will increase solar electricity in Washington, D.C. Solar panels have been installed on the rooftops of Funger and Duques Halls, the Charles E. Smith Center, Monroe Hall of Government, Lisner Auditorium and the Media and Public Affairs Building.
GW Decides to Eliminate All Fossil Fuel Investments from Endowment Fund
The George Washington University Board of Trustees voted in mid-2020 to not make any new investments in businesses that derive the majority of their revenue from the extraction of fossil fuels.
GW Attains Top Spot in Sustainable Campus Index
The Sustainable Campus Index, an annual publication by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, recognized GW in its 2020 report of top-performing colleges and universities. The report assesses 17 sustainability impact areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System.
EEMI Board Member Elected to the National Academy of Engineering
Dr. Lilia Abron, a long-time member of the Board of Advisors of the SEAS Environmental and Energy Management Institute, was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering on October 4, 2020. Election to the NAE is among the highest professional honors that can be bestowed on engineers. According to the press release announcing Dr. Abron's election, “Academy membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to "engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature."
News of EEM Students, Faculty and Alumni
Dr. Gurkan Kumbaroglu, a Fulbright Fellow conducting research on climate change impacts on the electricity generating sector with the Environmental and Energy Management Institute, participated in a forum on the energy situation with former Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz on March 4, 2020. The event, held at the Resources for the Future building in Washington, D.C., attracted an impressive array of energy experts across the full spectrum of important energy topics.
EEM Student’s Environmental Startup Wins Major Awards
The startup company Envirobe, created by EMSE student Manyung Emma Hon (who graduated in May 2020), has won a string of impressive awards for its promise of having a substantial positive impact on the world’s environment. Envirobe which won several awards last year in the New Venture Competition, including the top prize in the competition’s tech track, also participated in GW’s NSF-funded I-Corps program and the GW Summer Startup Accelerator Program, currently is a semi-finalist in the New York University $300K Entrepreneur Challenge, and has been invited to participate in the Rice Business Plan Competition.
Prof. Dayo Shittu Leads Community Solar Project Workshop
On February 7, 2020, Professor Ekundayo Shittu led a day-long workshop coordinated by the GW Schools of Engineering and Applied Science and Law. The event, entitled “Examining Community Solar Programs to Understand the Role of Policies on Accessibility and Investment Workshop “was funded by the Sloan Foundation’s Division of Energy and Environment.
EEMI Professors Conduct Seminar on the Impact of COVID-19 on Energy Economics and Sustainability
Dr. Edward Saltzberg, EEMI’s Director of Professional Education, and Dr. Gürkan Kumbaroğlu, a Fulbright Visiting Professor with the EEMI, led an online seminar on the topic of “Impact of COVID-19 on Energy Economics and Sustainability” on April 22, 2020. The event, sponsored by the International Association for Energy Economics, began with an overview of the energy industry in the U.S., explaining how the industry is impacted currently by the COVID-19 crisis. The recent drop in electricity demand and the shift in demand patterns as a result of behavioral changes that developed during the COVID-19 crisis was discussed with implied challenges and opportunities.
GW Installs New Rooftop Solar Panels on the Foggy Bottom Campus
In May 2020, GW completed installation of new solar photovoltaic panels on five Foggy Bottom campus buildings. The solar panels were installed on the rooftops of Funger and Duques Halls, the Charles E. Smith Center, Monroe Hall and Hall of Government, Lisner Auditorium and the Media and Public Affairs Building. Neighborhood Solar Equity, an organization focused on renewable energy and community development, developed the project. New Columbia Solar, in conjunction with the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment, financed the project.
GW Establishes High-Level Sustainability Task Force
In February 2020, the GW Board of Trustees established a high-level Task Force on Environmental, Social, and Governance responsibilities. This action was in response to on-going discussions among many members of the University community, including students, faculty and other stakeholders.
EEMI Faculty and Students Celebrate at the 2020 Engineers’ Ball
On February 23, 20202, a number of Environmental and Energy management Institute faculty and students celebrated that academic year’s achievements at the 2020 SEAS Engineer’s Ball. Held at the world famous Washington Mayflower Hotel, the event attracted several hundred students, faculty and guests from across the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
News of EEM Students and Graduates
EMSE Visiting Scholar Jimmy Jia was a facilitator of the Western States Innovation Workshop in Seattle, WA. Sponsored by the Western Interstate Energy Board and the CleanTech Alliance, it included attendees from energy offices of the Western states, Canadian provincial policymakers, representatives of national labs, and other commercialization organizations from throughout the West. The workshop provided an opportunity to strengthen and broaden collaborations among Northwest energy innovators to improve commercialization pathways for technologies emerging from R&D institutions.
EEMI Hosts the U.S. Department of Energy for a Clean Energy Talks Seminar
On September 24, 2019, the EEMI hosted a standing-room-only lunchtime seminar in the Lehman Auditorium of the Science and Engineering Hall (SEH) on clean energy. The purpose of the event was to help the Department of Energy advance its mission to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions. The Department of Energy plays an important role in the innovation economy, through the development of advanced energy technologies.
EEMI Conducts Advisory Board Meeting
On January 17, 2020, EEMI Co-Directors Joe Cascio and Jonathan Deason, along with EEMI Program Directors Scott Sklar, Dr. Jigar Shah, Dr. Ed Saltzberg, Dr. Victoria Lawrence and Dr. Rachael Jonassen, led a meeting of the SEAS Environmental and Energy Management Institute Advisory Board. At the meeting, three novel EEMI undertakings were presented and discussed. The first of these was our recent proposal to lead specific GW research initiatives on de-carbonization through the application of 4th industrial revolution technologies such as artificial intelligence, transport de-carbonization, nanotechnology, and the internet of things.
Loren Denton Successfully Defends Doctoral Dissertation
On September 30, 2019, Doctoral Candidate Loren Denton defended his doctoral dissertation research on the topic of “Improving Environmental Enforcement Effectiveness in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Drinking Water Program.” Loren, who is Chief of the Municipal Enforcement Branch in the Water Enforcement Division at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, examined the Environmental Protection Agency’s currently implemented 2009 Enforcement Response Policy (ERP) with regard to the effectiveness of state and national enforcement and remediation of the most significant drinking water violations.
EEM Graduate Leads Worldwide Panel Discussion on Climate Change NDC Implementation and Enhancement
EEM graduate Kristin Deason led a 90-minute panel presentation entitled “Regional Approaches to Supporting NDC Implementation and Enhancement” at the Virtual Island Summit in October 2019. Kristin presently is the Lead Caribbean Representative of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), headquartered in St. Lucia. She previously served with the International Renewable Energy Agency in Abu Dhabi, UAE; the renewable energy forecasting company Gnarum LLC in Washington, DC; the German hydrogen energy/fuel cell company Nationale Organisation Wasserstoff- und Brennstoffzellentechnologi Gmbh in Berlin; and the renewable energy company consulting company Sentech in Washington, DC.
EEMI Co-hosts Science Change Science Education Program for Federal Judges
On July 12, 2019, the Environmental and Energy Management Institute and the GW Environmental Law Program co-hosted a day-long symposium entitled “Climate Science for Judges.” EMSE Research Professor Joe Cascio and EMSE Professor Jonathan Deason were participants in the event, which was sponsored by the Climate Judiciary Project. The purpose of the symposium was to educate senior Federal and State judges about the science behind global climate change issues to prepare them for a rapidly increasing caseload of climate-related legal cases. Among the 25 legal luminaries at the event were 10 U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges, U.S. District Court judges, and State Superior and Appellate Court judges.
EEMI Hosts Preview Screening of Global Climate Change Film “Tidewater”
On October 1, 2019, the Environmental and Energy Management Institute held a preview screening of the global climate change film “Tidewater” in the Lehman Auditorium. EMSE Professor Jonathan Deason gave a welcoming address and EMSE Research Professor Joe Cascio coordinated a discussion panel after the screening. Panelists included Melissa Deas, Climate Program Analysts, Government of the District of Columbia; Dr. Stephen Dornbos, AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow, US Department of Defense; Kristiane Huber, Resilience Fellow, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions and Shana Udvardy, Climate Resilience Analyst, Union of Concerned Scientists.
Domenico Amodeo Successfully Defends Doctoral Dissertation
On December 10, 2019, Doctoral Candidate Domenico Amodeo successfully defended his research work focused on an “Empirical Study of the Role of Human Cognition in the Resilience Management of Inland Waterway Transportation Systems.” In his research, Dr. Amodeo examined the inland waterway system in the United States, which are complex socio-technical systems characterized by decentralized governance, dense dependency on limited collective resources, a highly interdependent network of transactional relationships, and susceptibility to natural and manmade hazards and disruptions.
2019 SEAS Graduation Celebration
Dozens of GW Environmental and Energy Management graduates and their families celebrated their achievements in front of almost 5,000 spectators at the SEAS Graduation Celebration, conducted in the Smith Center on Friday evening, May 17, 2019. The 2019 graduation Celebration marked the 137th year of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the 198th year of the George Washington University. This year SEAS graduated almost 1,000 students, and close to 40% of SEAS undergraduate class were women, about twice the national average.
News of EEM Students and Graduates
EEM Master of Science graduate Bruk Berhane recently earned his Ph.D. degree and assumed a positon as Assistant Research Professor in the Fischell Department of Bioengineering at the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park.
EEMI Research Professor Confirmed by U.S. Senate as Assistant Secretary of the Army
Research Professor Alex Beehler, who spent the last three years with the Environmental and Energy Management Institute, was confirmed earlier this year as the new Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment.
In his March 14, 2019 swearing-in ceremony in the Pentagon, Secretary of the Army Mark T. Esper said that, in his new position, Alex has responsibility for policy and oversight of all sustainability and environmental operations of the most impactful organization in the world.
EEMI Conducts Symposium on Human Population
The Environmental and Energy Management Institute conducted a Forum entitled “Tackling the Population Taboo: Creating a Sustainable Future for Our Children” in the Lehman Auditorium on April 9, 2019. EMSE Professor Jonathan Deason kicked off the event with a welcoming address. EMSE Research Professor Joe Cascio was instrumental in organizing the event, which was attended by a number of GW students.
EEMI Presents Research Results on Micronuclear Energy Potential
On January 29, 2019, the final report of a research study conducted by the SEAS Environmental and Energy Management Institute was released at a Capitol Hill event attended by 165 people, including three members of Congress. EEMI Research Professor Alex Beehler was the Principal Investigator of the study. Research Professor Joe Cascio (EEMI co-Director and co-PI) presented a summary of the study, which assessed the feasibility of using microreactors (very small nuclear reactors providing power in the range of 2-10 MWe) by US military forces.
EEMI Successfully Kicks Off Online Professional Development Program
During February and March 2019, the EEMI Professional Development Program added its first entirely online course to its short course lineup. The course, entitled “On the Road to Mass Market Electric Vehicles,” was taught by Professor Julian Bentley to 51 practicing professionals, following a face-to-face pilot version of the short course that was taught by Professor Bentley in the Science and Engineering Hall on February 13-14, 2019.
EEMI Conducts Symposium on Environmental Decision Making for Graduate Students at Top Chinese Universities
On February 12, 2019, EMSE Professors Jonathan Deason and Joe Cascio conducted a symposium on Environmental Decision Making in Room 2000 of the Science and Engineering Hall as part of the two-week 2019 Winter Leadership Training Camp sponsored by the International Fund for China’s Environment.
EEMI Professor Plays Major Role in Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition Research Conference
Dr. Rachael Jonassen, Director of the EEMI Climate Change Program, was an instrumental part of the world’s first international research conference on carbon pricing that was held in New Delhi, India on February 14-15, 2019. The conference, organized by the World Bank Group’s Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC), attracted participants from around the world. It featured over 30 researchers that were selected via a competitive “call for papers” led by an international scientific committee.
GW Named Among Top Universities for Renewable Energy
Based on a 2019 survey of 944 college and university campuses from 19 states and Washington, D.C., by the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, GW was ranked the top-most university for purchasing renewable electricity from off-campus projects.
Renowned Conservationist Jane Goodall Works with SEAS Students and Faculty on “Virtual Jane” Project
In May 2019, Dr. Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, UN Messenger of Peace, and a pioneer in wild chimpanzee behavior, visited GW to build a new educational platform that will use virtual reality to spread her message of environmental conservation to future generations. The project, called the “Virtual Jane,” is housed in the GW Innovation Center in Tompkins Hall.
Fall / Winter 2019
EEMI Professor Appointed to High Level Government Position
Professor Alex Beehler, a key member of the Environmental and Energy Management Institute (EEMI) leadership team for more than three years, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on January 2 to be the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment.
News of EEM Students, Faculty and Graduates
EEM Master’s student Kushal Malvania was named the 2018 Student Energy Engineer of the Year by the Association of Energy Engineers National Capital Chapter in November 2018.
New GW President Issues Sustainability Report
In November 2018, new GW President Thomas J. LeBlanc issued a major GW Sustainability Progress Report. The report elucidates in great quantitative detail the progress GW has made recently in a variety of areas such as reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, water conservation, water diversion and sustainable investments.
Intensive EEM Activity in Sponsored Research Projects
Our Environmental and Energy Management Institute (EEMI) has seen a tremendous amount of action on the research front during the latter half of 2018, which can be seen from the following project summaries.
Two EEM Graduate Students Awarded EDF Climate Corps Fellowships
Two members of the EEM family were among the 115 students nationwide that received 2018 Environmental Defense Fund Climate Corps Fellowships from more than 1,100 applicants.
EEMI Co-Sponsors Natural Resources Symposium
On September 25-26, 2018, the Environmental and Energy Management Institute (EEMI) co-sponsored a natural resources symposium entitled “Blueprint for Change: New Approaches and Needed Changes to Managing Natural Resource Risks, Liabilities and Opportunities.”
Welcome to New Professor Dr. John P. Helveston
EEM colleagues are pleased to welcome Dr. John P. Helveston to the EEM team. John joined the Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering and the Environmental and Energy Management Program as an Assistant Professor in the Fall 2018 semester.
EEMI Begins to Move Professional Short Course Series Online
In the fall 2018 semester, the EEMI undertook a process to move its successful two-day professional short course series to an online delivery platform, with a target of the Spring 2019 semester for initial delivery of the first short courses on an online basis.
Newsletter: Spring / Summer 2018
EEMI Collaborates with Booz Allen Hamilton on Environmental and Energy Brainstorming Symposium
The Environmental and Energy Management Institute collaborated with the major environmental and energy consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton to hold an “Ideas Festival” that was conducted at the Ronald Reagan Building, International Trade Center, on April 21, 2018.
EEMI Hosts Energy Symposium
On March 8-9, 2018, the Environmental and Energy Management Institute hosted a symposium on “Enabling Advanced Reactors for the Market.” The symposium brought together academic researchers, nationa
EEM Grad Serves as Keynote Speaker at 2018 SEAS Graduation
Dr. Christyl Johnson, a 2012 EEM doctoral graduate, provided the keynote speech at the May 18 SEAS graduation ceremony in the Smith Center.
EEMI Pursues Development of New Online Professional Education Program
Dr. Ed Saltzberg, Managing Director, Security and Sustainability Forum (SSF), has come on board to EEMI as Director of Online Professional Education.
EEM Student & Faculty News
Professor Joe Cascio co-Director of the Environmental and Energy Management Institute hosted a three-day meeting of the leadership of International Standards Organization’s Technical Committee 207 on January 8-10, 2018.
EEM Graduate Featured in Global Green Growth Institute News Videos
EEM doctoral graduate Dr. Kristin Deason was featured in two news videos produced by the Global Green Growth Institute.
Newsletter: Fall / Winter 2017
News of Students and Faculty
During the week of July 22-29, 2017, EEM doctoral Iryna Payosova participated in the highly competitive Research Experience in Carbon Sequestration (RECS) program of the U.S. Department of Energy. The program provides early career professionals with hands-on field research experience in areas related to carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS).
EEMI Professional Education Short Course Program Continues Strongly
Over the Fall 2017 semester, the EEMI continued its successful run of state-of-the-art professional short courses in the environmental and energy management area. All courses offered during the Fall semester were conducted at GW’s Foggy Bottom campus in collaboration with the European Energy Center. Fall 2017 course offerings included the following: Solar Photovoltaic Fundamentals, Renewable Energy Management & Finance, Environmental Management Beyond Compliance (Implementing an ISO 14001 System), Distributed Generation and Storage, Practical Application of Circular Economy Methods.
GW Listed in the Sierra Club Top 20 Cool Schools of 2017
The George Washington University was ranked 18th from all universities in the United States in the Sierra Club’s 2017 rankings of Cool Schools. A total of 227 institutions from the Nation’s more than 2,000 four-year colleges and universities were included in the rankings, evidence that higher education institutions are investing more in sustainability.
EEMI Establishes Partnership with the Organization of America States to Address Renewable Energy Needs in the Caribbean Region
In August 2017 the EEMI became an official partner of the Organization of American States to address renewable energy needs in the Caribbean region. The purpose of the new partnership is to design and deliver educational tools that advance the development and diffusion of sustainable energy options that promote a more diversified and resilient infrastructure in the Caribbean. The initiative, known as the “Caribbean Sustainable Development Education & Training Initiative" is to pursue the development of specialized and practical educational tools with and for educational institutions within the Caribbean.
EEMI Holds Workshop on Carbon Dioxide Removal and Negative Emissions Technologies
On Monday, October 30, the Environmental & Energy Management Institute conducted an invitation-only workshop for non-governmental organizations from the environmental, development, natural resources and human rights communities. The event was held in the Lehman Auditorium in the Science and Engineering Hall. The event focused on the potential role of carbon dioxide removal technologies, sometimes characterized as a form of “climate geoengineering,” as a climate response measure.
EEMI Hosts AEE Student Job Fair
The Environmental and Energy Management Institute hosted the Association of Energy Engineer’s Engineering Job Fair and Career Seminar on Friday, October 13, 2017, in the Science and Engineering Hall. It was the fifth annual Engineering Job Fair of the Association of Energy Engineers – National Capital Chapter. The event was a terrific opportunity for engineering students to meet prospective employers who hosted booths at the event.
Newsletter: Spring / Summer 2017
Jimmy Jia Addresses Strategic Energy Planning at EMSE Seminar
Jimmy Jia, CEO and Chief Strategist at Distributed Energy Management in Seattle, Washington, made a fascinating presentation on strategic energy planning at a May 4, 2017 EMSE seminar conducted in
Ilka De Luque Successfully Defends Doctoral Dissertation
Dr. Ilka De Luque made a marvelous presentation of her research project about electric generation technologies on April 24, 2017. The title of Ilka’s dissertation is “Essays on Investments in Electricity Generation Technologies Under Multiple Uncertainties.”
News of EEM Students, Graduates and Faculty
EEMI Co-Director Joe Cascio was a co-author of an op-ed published both in The Hill newspaper and HuffPost (formerly Huffington Post) publication. The titles of the op-ed in the two publications are “The Federal Sustainability Effort is Worth Saving” (in The Hill) and “We Were the Federal Government’s Chief Sustainability Officers, and We Have a Business Proposal for President Trump” (in the HuffPost).
EEMI Advisory Board Conducts Third Meeting
The EEMI Advisory Board held its third semiannual meeting on April 26, 2017 in the Science and Engineering Hall. The Advisory Board is composed of 14 distinguished individuals, including three former Assistant Administrators of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a former Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality, and several corporate CEOs and NGO leaders.
EEMI Establishes Partnership with Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition
Under the leadership of Dr. Rachael Jonassen, Director of EEMI’s Greenhouse Management Program, the EEMI has established a strong partnership with the Carbon Pricing leadership Coalition (CPLC) of the World Bank and International Finance Corporation.
EEMI Hosts Extravaganza Event on Energy and Sustainable Solutions for Tomorrow’s Campuses
On February 24, 2017, the Environmental and Energy Management Institute hosted the 3rd annual Energy and Sustainability Extravaganza with Leaders in Energy (LE) and the Association of Energy Engine
EEM Graduates Celebrate Accomplishments
Environmental and Energy Management program faculty, students and alumni celebrated the achievements of this year’s graduates during the SEAS 2017 Celebration of Student Achievement ceremony that w
Professor Beehler Presents at Club de Madrid Event
On December 12, 2016, Alex Beehler, Visiting Scholar and Board Member of the Environmental and Energy Management Institute (EEMI), participated in two panels as part of a university roundtable on "
- GW’s EEMI Team Competes in Standards Negotiation
- EEMI Establishes Partnership with the World Bank on the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition
- EEMI Faculty and Students Work with Rodham Institute
- EEMI’s Research Portfolio Continues to Expand
- Two Successful Final Doctoral Defenses
- EEMI Student and Faculty News
- EEMI Stars at the 2016 GreenGov Conference
- EEMI Conducts Seminar on Carbon Trading in China
- Environmental and Energy Management Institute Receives Two New Research Grants
- EEMI Conducts Two Symposia and Holds First Advisory Board Meeting in the Spring 2016 Semester
- Spring 2016 EEMI Faculty Activities
- Spring 2016 EEMI Student Activities
- EEMI Short Courses Kick Off in a Big Way
- Environmental and Energy Management Students Celebrate 2016 Graduation
- EEMI Establishes New Collaborations
- Professor Cascio Receives Major Award
- EEMI Spring 2016 Agenda Includes Four Major Events
- EEM Faculty and Graduate Student News
- Graduate Students Defend Research
- EEMI Begins Series of On–Campus Short Courses in Partnership with the European Energy Centre
- EEMI Hosts Korean delegation
- Association of Energy Engineers Holds Career Fair at GW
Individual newsletter articles can be searched below by year and month.
EEMI Conducts Wartime Symposium with Sixteen Ukrainian Delegates
On September 2, 2022, EEMI conducted a symposium on “Russia's War, the World's Food: The Successes and Challenges of Ukrainian Agricultural Producers in the Midst of War” in the Lehman Auditorium of the Science and Engineering Hall. The event was extraordinary in that it was conducted at the height Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and yet featured the presence of 16 Ukrainian delegates fresh from the war.
EEMI Leads GW Delegation to COP27
EEMI Director of Operations Dr. Mukes Kapilashrami coordinated the planning and led a session by GW’s five-person delegation to COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt in November 2022. The GW session, held in the UNFCCC Pavilion in the COP27 Blue Zone, on November 17, 2022, was entitled “Eco-Smart Inclusive Governance.”
EEMI Hosts Climate Training for Federal Judges
On August 29, 2022, the GW EEMI, in conjunction with the Environmental Law Institute, hosted a half-day seminar for federal judges in the Lehman Auditorium of the Science and Engineering Hall. The seminar, entitled “Seminar on Climate Science and the Energy Transition in Climate Litigation,” was the latest version of the multi-year Climate Judiciary Project in which EEMI and the ELI are cooperating. The objective of the program is to provide neutral, objective information to the judiciary about climate science and law. This is especially important today because of the exponential increase our nation is experiencing in terms of climate-related litigation at all levels.
Prof. Deason Serves as Plenary Speaker at Natural Resources Symposium
On September 19, 2022, EEMI Director Jonathan Deason served as the opening plenary speaker for the second day of the 2022 Natural Resources Symposium that was held in the GW Law School. Other speakers included Dayna Bowen Matthew, Dean of the George Washington University Law School; Roger Martella, Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer, GE; Jordan Diamond, President, Environmental Law Institute; John Cruden, former Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources; Sally Fisk, Chief Counsel - Environmental & Sustainability Law, Pfizer, Inc.; Nathaniel Keohane, President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions; and Emily Sanford Fisher, General Counsel and Senior Vice President, Edison Electric Institute.
News of EEM Students and Faculty
News of EEM Students and Faculty from the Fall and Winter 2022-2023
UNFCCC Secretariat Awards Climate Change Research Grant to EEMI
On September 27, 2022, GW’s Environmental and Energy Management Institute was awarded a grant from the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to develop a guide for participants in UNFCCC climate change processes. The project includes preparing three asynchronous web-based courses providing an orientation to compliance and implementation requirements under the Paris Agreement as well as background on law and governance foundations underlying the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol.
EEMI Works with European Commission on Energy, Climate and Geopolitical Challenges Related to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
During the Fall and Winters semesters, GW’s Environmental and Energy Management Institute worked with European Commission counterparts on joint efforts to address energy, climate and geopolitical challenges related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
A key event in that process was a September 19, 2022 meeting with EC officials Daniel Calleja Crespo (Director General, Legal Service of the European Commission), Dr. Klára Talabér-Ritz (Legal Service of the European Commission), Vassilis Coutifaris, (Senior Public Diplomacy Officer, Delegation of the EU to the US), and Mercedes García Pérez (Head of Global Issues and Innovation, Delegation of the EU to the US).
EEMI Conducts and Participates in a Series of High Impact Symposia
During the Fall and Winters semesters, GW’s Environmental and Energy Management Institute conducted a number of high impact symposia in key environmental and energy issues on the world stage.
EEMI Conducts Wartime Webinar with Ukrainian Colleagues
On May 5, 2022, EEMI conducted a real-time webinar with a group of government and NGO colleagues in the middle of war-torn Ukraine. The event provided the audience with a first-hand understanding of the war situation though the eyes of our friends in Ukraine.
EEMI Hosts GW-European Commission Meeting
On February 17, 2022, EEMI hosted a meeting among three GW Deans, led by SEAS Dean John Lach, with senior representatives of the European Commission (EC).
EEMI Granted Membership in the United Nations Climate Technology Centre and Network
On July 13, 2022, the UN Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) granted full membership to the GW Environmental and Energy Management Institute.
EEMI Co-Hosts Major Symposium on Carbon Pricing with the European Union
On June 15, 2022, the SEAS Environmental and Energy Management Institute served as a co-host, along with the Delegation to the U.S. of the European Union, of a symposium entitled “Effective Public Policy on Carbon Pricing in Support of Climate Objectives: Views from North America and Europe.”
EEMI Conducts Meeting with European Commission Director-General for Energy
On January 27, 2022, EEMI faculty met with European Commission Director-General for Energy Ditte Juul Jorgenson and other European Commission officials to discuss a partnership between GW and the European Commission to promote worldwide sustainability, including energy security and response to the global climate change challenge.
EEMI Conducts Microgrid Controls Demonstration on Foggy Bottom Campus
On February 25, 2022, EEMI conducted a day-long microgrid controls demonstration at GW’s Potomac Plaza, next to the Gelman Library.
2022 Graduation Celebration
In the first in-person graduation event since the beginning of the COVID pandemic in early 2020, the 2022 Environmental and Energy Management graduates participated among the more than 700 graduate and undergraduate School of Engineering and Applied Science students who graduated on May 13, 2022.
Environmental & Energy Management
Science & Engineering Hall
800 22nd St. NW
Room B1840
Washington, DC 20052
[email protected]
