By “[seeking] to integrate technologies and policies in the larger energy landscape,” the Energy Club at Tech hopes to bring together multiple disciplines to address energy issues at large. Starting last year, the club has hosted an annual Energy Expo to bring speakers from the energy world to campus to engage students interested in the topic.
“I feel the Expo was a success. I think so because we were able to get people together from policy, industry, academic and other disciplines to meet on a common ground,” said Zach Archambault, fourth-year ME and Communications advisor of the event. “It’s basically a giant networking event.”
The event highlighted three pertinent points related to the energy field: technology, policy and industry. Moreover, the Energy Expo sought to bring individuals actively involved in these three aspects together, so they could meet and discuss the issues facing the energy realm.
“We wanted all those minds to come together on one playing field. At Tech, the clean energy initiatives do not communicate with one another,” Archambault said. “Each of the groups are on an island, and we are trying to get Tech to be the hub. We figure if we have these events where everyone can come together and meet each other, then we can bring those people together.”
The Energy Club, composed of about fifty members, hopes to eventually be on par with energy clubs from other prestigious universities. Moreover, the club hopes to attract companies from the energy field.
“At schools like MIT and UC Berkley, they have energy clubs with thousands of members, and companies go to those clubs and give them money to come up with ideas and solutions,” Archambault said.
Currently, the club holds weekly energy chats, speaker series, company tours and networking events. Given the controversy surrounding energy today, the club’s message is a powerful motivating force that can convince anyone to join.
“This is the most important issue of our time. We do not have infinite resources energy-wise, so it doesn’t matter what you believe,” Archambault said. “For the sake of future generations and our Earth, it is an important issue that affects all of us. As a technologically advanced country, it is our duty to take care of the rest of our world.”