“Energy Enlightenment” Symposium at WSC, Sept. 30

The symposium, “Energy Enlightenment: Piecing together the local, national and global energy puzzle – the realities of energy supply and demand,” begins at 2:30 p.m. in the WSC College Center Ballroom. In addition to three speakers, the symposium includes an audience question/answer session.

Topics that will be addressed include: What is the best and most realistic energy path for a growing global population? What are the consequences of continuing to rely heavily on ultimately finite fossil fuels? How big of a role can renewable forms of energy play in the overall supply /demand equation? Where will the energy of tomorrow come from for the next 50 years and beyond?

The speakers are:

• Scott W. Tinker, Ph.D., director of the Bureau of Economic Geology and state geologist of Texas, will address the global energy outlook. Also a professor and Allday Endowed Chair of Subsurface Geology at The University of Texas at Austin, Tinker is an expert on global energy reserves, energy policy and energy geosciences. He is president-elect of the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies and past-president of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the Association of American State Geologists.
• Ty Harrison, chief strategist at Societe Generale Energy, will speak about the national energy supply and demand outlook. The newly formed company is active in the physical and financial North American natural gas and power markets in addition to derivatives offerings in crude oil markets. Previously, Harrison was head of fundamentals and risk management for the USA Division of Encana Corporation. 
• WSC geology graduate Timothy J. Kelly, minerals leasing manager for the State Board of Land Commissioners, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, will discuss energy supply and demand at the state level. He is responsible for the oil, gas, coal and solid mining leasing and mineral title verification for state trust lands. He has 25 years of experience as a professional mining and exploration geologist, exploration analyst and environmental geologist. 

This event is free and seating is limited. Please RSVP to Debbie Johnson at djohnson@western.edu or (970) 641-2237. The symposium is sponsored by benefactors of the WSC Professional Land and Resource Management (PLRM) and Petroleum Geology programs, and the WSC Foundation.