The Energy Transition Institute (ETI) of the UH Division of Energy and Innovation will host the new “Energy in Action” Seminar Series, a monthly, in-person seminar program focused on the digitization aspect of the global energy transition. Each seminar will feature an engaging talk by a leading subject expert to promote cross-sector exchange of knowledge. The seminars will be followed by a one-hour networking reception, sponsored by Phillips 66.
The Energy Transition Institute (ETI) of the UH Division of Energy and Innovation
will host the new “Energy in Action” Seminar Series, a monthly, in-person seminar
program focused on the digitization aspect of the global energy transition. Each seminar
will feature an engaging talk by a leading subject expert to promote cross-sector
exchange of knowledge. The seminars will be followed by a one-hour networking reception,
sponsored by Phillips 66.The series kicks off on November 17 at the UH Sugarland Campus, where Raiford Smith, Global Market Lead for Power & Energy, Google Cloud, will talk on “AI, Energy, and Data Centers.” He will examine how the growth of AI is driving record levels of energy infrastructure investment. Raiford will also discuss how AI growth is expected to transform the energy sector, examining aspects such as the technologies and benefits of widespread AI adoption to growth in both traditional and carbon-free energy resources.
The second seminar in the series will follow on December 9, where Leo Chiang, Senior Director, Corporate Technology, The Lubrizol Corporation and a member of the National Academy of Engineering, will speak on “Beyond the Hype: Amplifying AI Impacts in Fuel and Petrochemical Industry.” Chiang will outline how AI is amplifying impact on fuels and the petrochemicals industry and emphasize the need for responsible as well as trustworthy AI. He will also highlight anticipated research paths, the necessity for workforce development, and the imperative collaboration between academia, technology providers, and the industry to shape the AI future together.
“Through this timely and informative seminar series, ETI will bring together energy professionals, researchers, students, and anyone working in or around digital innovation in energy. We encourage industry members and students to register now and reap the benefits of participating in both the seminar and the reception, which presents a fantastic opportunity to stay ahead of industry developments and build a strong network in the Greater Houston energy ecosystem,” says Debalina Sengupta, Chief Operating Officer of ETI.
The seminar series will continue in 2026, with more details on the speakers coming soon. Sign up here to join us.