Full Program
4-7 November 2024
| Event Date | Session Title | Speaker | Recording |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 November 2024 | What IEEE Is Doing to Support Climate Change Technologies Bruno Meyer, past Vice President of TAB, spoke about what IEEE is doing about climate change and how to get involved. | Bruno Meyer | youtu.be/6pTQqJk04NU |
| 4 November 2024 | Focus on the Future: Identifying Pathways for Change While the urgency of climate change is real, it is likely we will make mistakes that can set us back even further if do not take a calculated view of the pathways to the future. Should we invest heavily in a hydrogen economy? Or should we place our efforts into geo-engineering to cool the planet? Should carbon removal be the main focus, or a complement to ongoing energy efficiency and renewables efforts? This talk focused on how we might disaggregate the various factors and look to how we can use future thinking techniques to plan effectively and reduce the potential for stranded assets, wasted resources, and unintended consequences. | Davis Bookhart | https://youtu.be/QXPfET3pP10 |
| 5 November 2024 | Photovoltaics for Indoor Energy Harvesting The Internet of Things demands a low-cost, stable, and efficient power source for autonomous smart devices and sensors in low-light environments. Indoor photovoltaics (PV) meets this need, offering grid independence, portability, and sustainability. Amorphous silicon is preferred over polycrystalline for indoor commercial use due to its higher efficiency under low-intensity lighting. Recent advancements in all technologies, from silicon, to compound semiconductors, to emerging technologies such as organic, dye-sensitized PV cells, will be reviewed highlighting the differences between designing and operation of PV cells meant for outdoors vs those for indoors. We will focus more significantly on the development of perovskite solar cells that have pushed indoor PV efficiency beyond the 30% range, also on flexible substrates which are conducive to more seamless integration in indoor products, bringing to the fore challenges, and potential applications for this technology. | Thomas Brown | youtu.be/yyOXTdazu-E |
| 5 November 2024 | How Universities Can Drive GHG-R Impact with Speed and Scale Meeting Paris Agreement targets requires urgent action on two fronts: reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and scaling up GHG removal (GHG-R) technologies. Delayed emissions reductions have amplified the need for large-scale removals. However, we have yet to successfully develop and scale GHG-R technologies or create a viable market for them. This presentation examined the pivotal role that global universities and institutions can play in accelerating GHG-R initiatives. We explored strategies for: 1. Advancing GHG-R technology development and deployment 2. Fostering a robust GHG-R market and policy environment 3. Leveraging institutional resources and networks for maximum impact By catalyzing collaboration and innovation, these institutions can help bridge the gap between current capabilities and the scale of removals needed to meet our climate goals. | Jeffrey Allen Brown | youtu.be/7TacBLwg5Sk |
| 5 November 2024 | Biomass – A Bit of Science, Technology and Policy Interest in biomass as a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels waxes and wanes. What has remained constant is the extensive use of some form of biomass (forest residue, nut shells, cow dung etc.) as fuel for cooking and heating in developing nations. Usually such use is very inefficient and given the magnitude of consumption, improving efficiency can lead to not-so-insignificant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. This is particularly true if the alternative is to provide LPG or CNG to these users. Of course, the benefits in terms of the health of women and children with the improved stoves is much more significant. We discussed a case of development and dissemination of one such clean cooking device in India. Though the case of improved stoves hold the potential for global impact, interventions have been restricted to niche areas (parts of India, Africa etc.). Large scale biomass utilization for energy, fuels and chemicals is challenging due to the distributed nature of the resource. Supply chain is a major challenge in scale-up and commercialization. There are niche applications with excellent supply chains that are exceptions - for instance, the coconut shell charcoal business in South India, Sri Lanka and Philippines. Here again, traditional processes are inefficient and polluting and there is a need for clean alternatives. Dr. Sivakumar briefly discussed an innovation from his lab, known as the susstains process for clean biochar and activated carbon synthesis from biomass, and his work on commercialization of these technologies. Hydrogen from biomass is another exciting avenue with applications is decarbonization of cement, steel and chemical sectors. But for this process to have significant impact, issues of supply chain must be overcome. We have been developing a process for biomass to hydrogen through thermo-chemical conversion and attempting scale-up. Finally, Dr. Sivakumar brought up questions of availability, policy etc. for discussion. | Varunkumar Sivakumar | youtu.be/_rotbjSfzkc |
| 6 November 2024 | The IEEE SusTech Initiative The IEEE SusTech Initiative, sustech.ieee.org, part of the Future Directions Committee, seeks to contribute technical expertise and solutions to address sustainability challenges, including climate change. This initiative is growing rapidly and new volunteers are always welcome. Workshops in various formats are offered free of charge throughout the year. These fascinating, interactive workshops engage technical professionals and academics from around the world to map technology development needs according to gaps identified by the work of the Planet Positive 2030 Compendium. | Maike Luiken | youtu.be/4N0CLU6e_ds |
| 6 November 2024 | Creating a New Circular Carbon Economy via Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage To meet the ever-increasing global energy demands while addressing climate change, the development of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies is one of the critical needs. In particular, there have been significant efforts to develop innovative CO2 capture materials and CO2 conversion technologies to create a new circular carbon economy based on renewable energy. The next-generation CO2 capture materials, which are often water-free or water-lean, have unique structural and chemical properties that allow their applications in a wide range of reactive separation systems. Nanoparticle Organic Hybrid Materials (NOHMs) are organic-inorganic hybrids that consist of a hard nanoparticle core functionalized with a molecular organic corona that possesses a high degree of chemical and physical tunability. It has recently been discovered that NOHMs have interesting electrolyte properties that allow the CO2 capture to be pulled by the in-situ CO2 conversion reactions. The development of these unique nanoscale hybrid materials will not only advance CO2 capture materials design but also introduce unique research opportunities in various sustainable energy and environmental fields. This seminar will discuss the challenges and opportunities of different CO2 capture and conversion pathways including Negative Emission Technologies (e.g., Direct Air Capture) that can allow the development of circular carbon and hydrogen economy using renewable energy. | Ah-Hyung “Alissa” Park | youtu.be/i3T8Ey0I7gY |
| 7 November 2024 | Strategies, Techniques and System for Powering Low-Maintenance and Maintenance-Free Wireless Sensor Nodes In the swiftly evolving Internet of Things (IoT), wireless sensor network integration is pivotal to realizing a connected ecosystem. Market analysts forecast a monumental milestone of one trillion IoT devices by 2035. This growth is mirrored in the smart sensor market, which is projected to expand from $36.6 billion in 2020 to $87.6 billion by 2025, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19.0%. Simultaneously, the energy harvesting systems market is expected to grow from $440.39 million in 2019 to $817.2 million by 2025, with a CAGR of 10.91%. The challenge of powering such a vast array of IoT devices is daunting, considering the reliance on batteries and the associated maintenance and environmental costs. To illustrate, powering a trillion-node network would necessitate the daily replacement of 274 million batteries, even under the assumption of a ten-year battery lifespan. This lecture dove into the forefront of research and development in energy-autonomous systems, presenting innovative strategies and techniques that eliminate the need for batteries in electronic devices. The focus was on the latest advancements in circuits and systems for wireless sensor nodes, aiming for sustainability with minimal or no maintenance requirements. The discussion highlighted the transformative potential of these technologies in achieving a self-sustaining IoT infrastructure, aligning with the goals of environmental sustainability and operational efficiency, and charting a course for the future of smart sensor applications. Join us to explore the intersection of innovation and practicality, paving the way for the next generation of energy-independent IoT devices within the IEEE CASS community. | Roberto La Rosa | youtu.be/cubF-oQwtTk |
| 7 November 2024 | In-situ Soil Quality Monitoring Systems TechnologicAl innovations in soil monitoring are transforming our ability to address climate challenges by providing unprecedented, real-time insights into soil health. This talk explored cutting-edge in-situ sensing technologies that enable continuous and accurate monitoring of soil quality without the need for traditional, time-consuming sampling methods. These advanced systems allow for the immediate detection of changes in soil composition, offering critical data that can be used to inform and regulate human activities that impact soil functions. A key focus of the discussion focused on the intricate and often overlooked relationship between soil health and climate stability. Soil plays a vital role in regulating numerous environmental processes, such as carbon sequestration, water retention, and nutrient cycling. When these functions are compromised, the resulting disruptions can have far-reaching effects on the climate cycle, contributing to increased pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and the destabilization of ecosystems. By defining and examining this soil-climate connection, the talk underscored the importance of continuous soil monitoring in climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. Leveraging these in-situ technologies empowers scientists, policymakers, and environmental managers to take proactive measures in preserving soil integrity, thus supporting broader efforts toward achieving climate resilience and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. | Marios Sophocleus | youtu.be/N_1O97-9WaM |
| 7 November 2024 | Beyond Conventional Electronics: Smart Sensing for a Sustainable Future The convergence of materials science, advanced manufacturing, and system integration has revolutionized electronic devices, surpassing traditional electrical properties and introducing groundbreaking features such as flexibility, stretchability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. These innovations are paving the way for smart devices that seamlessly conform to complex 3D surfaces, dissolve in specific environments, and interface directly with biological systems. Such advancements are critically important for addressing global challenges, including climate change, through the development of environmentally conscious technologies. This presentation dove into the latest breakthroughs in unconventional sensing technologies with a strong emphasis on their integration into sustainable, climate-focused applications. We began by exploring wearable sensors designed for sports and health monitoring, highlighting: (i) the creation and validation of printed textile-based strain sensors capable of monitoring respiratory rates across different activities, and (ii) the design and fabrication of flexible electrolyte-gated field-effect transistors with ion-selective membranes for real-time ammonium detection in sweat. The discussion then shifted from human wearables to plant wearables, showcasing how bioimpedance methods, in tandem with customized printed electrodes, portable impedance analyzers, and machine learning algorithms, can effectively monitor plant and fruit health. Additionally, we demonstrated how printed paper-based impedimetric sensors provide unobtrusive, real-time monitoring of plant health in outdoor environments, underscoring their relevance in sustainable agriculture. Finally, we emphasized the sustainable and circular potential of these unobtrusive sensors, made possible through the integration of naturally derived materials. This presentation underscored the pivotal role of innovative sensing technologies in addressing the challenges posed by climate change, fostering the evolution of environmentally conscious electronic solutions that contribute to a sustainable future. | Luisa Petti | youtu.be/GrhJA_PcWVI |
2-5 December 2024
| Event Date | Session Title | Speaker | Recording |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 December 2024 | Cross-disciplinary Collaboration Using Nature-based Solutions to Address Climate Change Technologies for greenhouse gas emissions reductions and carbon dioxide removal extend into many realms of science and engineering. This presentation focused on Nature-based Solutions, one area of the many methods of emissions reduction and carbon removal needed to reach our goals of stabilizing climate change. Nature-based Solutions involve land management and design, including for example promoting wetlands, preventing excessive forest fires, improving carbon sequestration in agricultural lands, designing healthy ecosystems that are resilient to climate effects, greening urban and suburban landscapes, and promoting carbon sequestration into soil and biomass. This presentation also focused on the importance of involving those implementing new technologies into a seamless collaboration with those developing technology to speed up response time in addressing climate change. | Ronnie Siegel | https://youtu.be/wCkNNkdljcQ |
| 2 December 2024 | IEEE@COP 2024 A Panel of IEEE Leaders who attended COP 29 discussed what happened at the meeting in Baku. Karen McCabe moderated the panel with Saifur Rahman, Wei-Jen Lee, Sneha Satish Hegde, and Babu Chamala. | Karen McCabe (Moderator) Saifur Rahman Wei-Jen Lee | https://youtu.be/Sxl35j2it2s |
| 3 December 2024 | Building Sustainable Citiverse with AI, Immersive Tech, and Data This session/keynote highlighted how cutting-edge technologies can reshape city planning, improve public services, and foster smarter, more sustainable communities. Learn about data-driven solutions that blend the virtual and physical worlds to create thriving, resilient cities that enhance well-being for current and future generations. | Teppo Rantanen | https://youtu.be/MhRNlrYYqI8 |
| 3 December 2024 | Energy Storage for Grid Modernization and Deeper Decarbonization Energy storage technology has the potential to transform nearly every aspect of how we use electrical energy, especially in electrification of transportation, large scale integration of renewable resources, and support the deeper decarbonization of the electric power sector. At the core of this future is the need for low-cost energy storage systems with high energy density, safety, and reliability across a range of sizes and scales from kWh systems for behind the meter energy storage, 100 kWh systems for electric vehicles, and larger MWh to GWh systems for grid energy storage. Dr. Chalamala presented an overview of energy storage technologies, highlighted recent developments, discussed what the future holds for new energy storage technologies, and reviewed technology gaps and research needs. | Babu Chalamala | https://youtu.be/MS8RXN3XWuk |
| 4 December 2024 | FlexICs - A Low Carbon Tech Enabling a Low Carbon Economy Technology has the power to solve many of the world’s most complex problems. But progress cannot come at the expense of the planet. In the face of ever-increasing demand for connected devices, it’s time to rethink existing resource-intensive production methods, trading overengineered designs for right-sized technology that maximises resource use. Pragmatic Semiconductor is revolutionising semiconductor fabrication with flexible integrated circuit (FlexIC) technology. FlexICs deliver low-cost, low-carbon intelligence in an ultra-thin, flexible form factor, enabling more sustainable compute for a low-carbon economy. Our innovative, optimised manufacturing process uses fewer steps than standard semiconductor fabrication, at lower temperatures, resulting in a carbon footprint that’s orders of magnitude smaller. | Ashiq Ahamed | https://youtu.be/AhVNMCM5SHE |
| 4 December 2024 | Developing Safer Materials Using Dow’s Smart Search, Powered by CAS Anthraquinone (AQ) is used as a digester aid in the Kraft process, to help break down lignin and release cellulose (pulp). The use of AQ is under scrutiny because it is a suspected carcinogen, and its use is being phased-out in many geographies. In order to develop an alternative potential digester aid, we developed a digital workflow that identifies molecules with the desired toxicity profile, price, and solubility. Coupled with a technical hypothesis around electron affinity screen, a predictor for catalytic activity was developed. This workflow enabled the prioritization of 30 molecules from millions of commercially available molecules. The efficiency of these candidates has been explored in pulp & paper process with several materials showing similar efficacy as that of the incumbent (AQ), and are more ecofriendly. Efforts have been directed towards broadly deploying the use of this digital tool (database and workflows) across various projects within Dow by deploying it in Scifindern. This tool was awarded Edison Gold Award in 2023. This smart and digital approach could help accelerate safer material discovery for faster implementation of potential solutions. | Ashwin Bharadwaj | Not available on-demand. |
| 4 December 2024 | A Glaciological Perspective on Climate Change Climate represents the main driver controlling the growth and demise of Earth’s ice masses, which in turn play a major role in many physical and biological processes, including sea level, ocean currents, ecosystems, and climate itself, not to mention human activities. Thus, it is no surprise that shrinking and disappearing glaciers are often referred to as amongst the most dramatic evidence of recent, increased warming. Climate, and hence glaciers, have changed often in historical and geological times. The past evolution of glaciers, and history of glaciations, can therefore be used as a way to decipher past climate changes, essential to contextualise current climatic trends and scenarios, and to refine future predictions. In this talk, Prof. Matteo Spagnolo will use evidence of past glaciations (landforms and sediments), ice cores and other geological climate proxies to present a fascinating historical (hundreds to thousands of years) and geological (10s of thousands to millions of years) overview of what we know about the Earth’s climate of the past. | Matteo Spagnolo | https://youtu.be/qFgoNombgqI |
| 5 December 2024 | Sustainability of Flexible Electronics E-waste is accumulating with increasing speed, at the same time the availability of raw materials is at risk. More efforts are needed to design sustainable and circular electronics. Additive manufacturing methods like printing open up possibilities for energy- and material efficient fabrication. In this presentation the potential of exploiting new sustainable materials for printed and flexible electronics will be discussed and case examples will be presented. In addition, a qualitative benchmarking tool (GreenTool) by Hakola et al. (2024) doi.org/10.1007/s43615-023-00280-3 for design phase decision making for sustainable selections will be presented. This tool considering environmental, economic, and social sustainability aspects in seven different criteria is built on European and global sustainability regulations and recommendations. In this presentation the implementation of the tool for comparison of different product concepts will be presented. | Maria Smolander | https://youtu.be/z2AXSMHdhKc |
| 5 December 2024 | Climate Change Technologies: Challenges and Opportunities Global climate changes needed to reduce average temperature rises, weather-related flood, hurricanes, sea-level rises, and fires require the adoption of more environmentally-salient energy sources, energy transmissions, and uses of energy. At the same time, Robert Ayres has argued that a nation’s increased access to cheap Energy best explains a nation’s economic growth. How can the world’s commitment to foster more economic growth to be reconciled with these realities? | Nicholas A. Ashford | https://youtu.be/utaijd_45fw |
| 5 December 2024 | Sustainable Electronics Will Require an Integration of Both Business Models and Technology Enablers The transition to sustainable electronics is a complex challenge that requires more than just technological advancements. To fully realise the potential of a circular economy in electronics, we must integrate innovative business models with enabling technologies. This talk will explore how sustainable electronics can be achieved through the convergence of circular business models—such as product-as-a-service, repairability, and reuse—with cutting-edge technologies. By aligning economic incentives with technological innovations, we can create a future where electronic devices are designed for longevity, resource efficiency, and minimal environmental impact. The presentation will also discuss real-world case studies and emerging trends that highlight the importance of this integrated approach. | Colin Fitzpatrick | https://youtu.be/rXklvznIxOA |