【時報訊】美國密蘇里州聖路易華盛頓大學10月1日至5日，在該校召開第三屆全球未來能源與環境高峰論壇(Symposium on the Global Enengy Future)。美能源部副部長Kristina M. Johnson應邀在開幕式主講致詞，全球參與華大麥克唐納學院全球能源與環境合作之25個大學和單位均派出代表與會，會中同時公佈由華大校長Mark S. Wrighton擔任委員會主席所做之全球未來能源總結報告，此份報告等同美國國家科學院最近公佈之美國未來能源報告，受到全球學術和工業界極大之重視。
今年參與高峰論壇，來自亞洲地區之各大學校長及代表有台灣大學校長李嗣涔，復旦大學名譽校長王生洪，北京大學校長周其鳳，中國農業大學校長柯炳生，香港中文大學校長沈祖堯，香港大學校長徐立之，復旦大學工業工程系副主任鄭力及國立新加坡大學、國立漢城大學、日本東京大學及中東地區各大學師生等百餘人與會。
在華盛頓大學教授，台灣中央研究院院士賀端華教授主持下，台灣大學校長李嗣涔、臺大國際事務處處沈冬，台大台灣文學研究所所長梅家玲等並於10月3日(週日)下午，在該校Danforth校區Busch廳舉行了一場“台灣經驗：文化與科技十字路口”討論會。
華盛頓大學係於2007年5月，在該校召開首屆全球能源與環境高峰論壇，當時有亞洲地區11位名校校長與會，由美國駐聯合國大使Thomas R. Pickering擔任大會主講人。第二屆全球能源與環境高峰論壇於2008年12月移師香港舉行，由現為美國能源部部長之朱棣文(Steven Chu)博士擔任主講人。
今年在華大舉行之第三屆全球未來能源與環境高峰論壇之重要成就，除公佈全球未來能源總結報告外，同時評估世界未來50年之能源需求，和能源之開發、探討如何解決化石燃料二氧化碳累積及推動這項科技，建立使用新能源、再生能源效率之運輸工具、設備、系統、建築物等，在全球教育及能源研究領域中加強與華大麥克唐納學院之合作及參與。 (Photos by Mary Butkus/WUSTL)
Global Energy Future symposium Oct. 1-5McDonnell International Scholars Academy bringing international academic leaders to St. Louis campus to discuss global energy and the environment
Academic leaders from some of the world's premier universities gathered at Washington University in St. Louis Oct. 1-5 to discuss the world's energy future at the "McDonnell International Scholars Academy Symposium: Global Energy Future."
The international symposium marks the second such gathering in the United States. WUSTL hosted the first symposium in 2007, and the second was held in Hong Kong in 2008.
Among the participants are international academic leaders, including the presidents of many of the McDonnell International Scholars Academy's 25 partner universities, a select group of research universities from outside the United States that are committed to excellence in education and research and to the importance of international collaboration.
The symposium was organized by the McDonnell Academy Global Energy and Environment Partnership (MAGEEP), a consortium of those 25 partner universities as well as corporate partners who are working together on problems in energy, environmental and sustainability research, education and operations.
"The Global Energy Future Study Report," summarizing the findings of a committee led by WUSTL Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton, was discussed at the symposium.
"Securing abundant, affordable energy while minimizing adverse effects on the global environment is a global imperative," Wrighton says. "To transform the sources of energy and how we use energy will require a global investment of hundreds of billions of dollars over decades, but doing so will secure our environment and ensure a better quality of life.
"The Global Energy Future Study Report" is intended to be an international counterpart to the capstone report on America's energy future released last year by the National Research Council, the operating arm of the National Academies of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering.One objective of the symposium is to assess the world's future energy needs and to evaluate the ability of the available resources to meet those needs. Another is to identify research opportunities that might reduce carbon dioxide emission, improve efficiency of energy utilization or lead to more rapid deployment of renewable energy sources.
Delegates were welcomed to the symposium on Friday, Oct. 1, in Graham Chapel by James V. Wertsch, PhD, the Marshall S. Snow Professor in Arts & Sciences, director of the McDonnell International Scholars Academy and associate vice chair for international affairs; and by John F. McDonnell, vice chair of the Board of Trustees, who provided endowment support for the academy and is one of its founders.
Following opening remarks, three keynote addresses were delivered. Kristina M. Johnson, PhD, undersecretary of energy for the U.S. Department of Energy, spoke on "Programs and Policies to Address America's Energy Needs"; Richard A. Meserve, PhD, president of the Carnegie Institution for Science, spoke on the "Future of Nuclear Power"; and Gary S. Calabrese, vice president of science and technology for Corning Inc., described the "Future of Renewable Energy." |
