Alum speaks on sustainability in "What IF" series

Photo of Jorge Haddock
Dr. Jorge Haddock speaks at Giant Leaps Ideas Festival
Photo of Shimon Nof and Jorge Haddock
Prof. Shimon Nof (r) reconnects with his former student, Dr. Haddock (l)
Photo of Jorge Haddock with Steve Landry
Dr. Haddock (r) visits Purdue IE Acting Head Steve Landry (l)
Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean island will be struggling to rebuild for years. But what does rebuilding look like and how can renewable energy be a part of those efforts? Jorge Haddock, president of the University of Puerto Rico, addressed this question in his February 6 lecture “What IF the world ran on 100 percent renewable energy?”

Haddock, a Purdue IE graduate (PhD 1981) and business leadership authority, is in the unique position of leading one of the island’s cornerstone socioeconomic institutions during post-hurricane recovery. He discussed the global future of renewable energy and how Puerto Rico is approaching the idea.

The lecture was followed by a panel discussion with Purdue faculty members: John Sutherland, the Fehsenfeld Family Head of Environmental and Ecological Engineering; Maureen McCann, professor of biological sciences and director of the Energy Center in Discovery Park; Luciano Castillo, the Kenninger Professor of Renewable Energy and Power Systems in Mechanical Engineering; and Rakesh Agrawal, the Winthrop E. Stone Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering.

Haddock's major advisor, Dr. Tom Sparrow, professor of industrial engineering and economics (retired), attended his presentation and was recognized in the audience. Sparrow was instrumental in bringing to Purdue the State Utility Forecasting Group (SUFG), a major center for energy policy and forecasting, and is a former SUFG director.

The event was a part of Purdue’s Ideas Festival, the centerpiece of Purdue’s Giant Leaps Sesquicentennial Campaign, which is a series of events that connect world-renowned speakers and Purdue expertise in a conversation on the most critical problems facing the world. One of the Ideas Festival’s themes is sustainable economy and planet.

This event was held in partnership with the College of Engineering.

Source: Purdue Giant Leaps, "What IF the world ran on 100 percent renewable energy?"; and Shimon Nof, nof@purdue.edu

Video: https://youtu.be/SEm8byzIRFw