2026 Schedule

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Thriving Economy Project Event hosted by the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition Institute (SEEC Institute)

The Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Institute's Thriving Economy Project — chaired by former Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Chair Rep. Kathy Castor — is developing a landmark policy blueprint to inform federal action on clean energy and economic growth, with a report expected later this year. To shape this work, we're convening a series of events across the country to gather input from industry leaders, academics, advocates, and practitioners. This is an opportunity to directly inform the policy recommendations that will go to Congress.

At this event, we'll explore how science, research, and expert ideas become federal policy — and how the Pittsburgh region's energy and industrial strengths can inform that process. A panel discussion will examine the innovation pipeline for next-generation energy technology researched, developed, and built in America, and how policy and legislation is developed. Following the panel, breakout roundtable discussions will give attendees the chance to weigh in on prospective policy ideas and identify regional challenges and opportunities that should be reflected in the Thriving Economy Project report.

Panelists:

• Eric Fins, Vice President, Grove Climate Group
• Lindsey Baxter-Griffith, Founder and CEO, Clean Tomorrow
• Paulina Jaramillo, Trustee Professor, Carnegie Mellon University 

Moderation by:

• Evan Chapman, Senior Director, Tomorrow Energy Partners

Location: Connan Room, 1st floor, Cohon University Center

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Careers in Energy Networking Reception

• Employers must complete registration

Announcement of the 2026 Research Symposium Winners

8:00 AM

8:00 - 9:00 AM

Breakfast

9:00 AM

9:15 AM

Opening keynote:

• Ramkumar Krishnan, Head of Cleantech Incubation, LG Nova

9:35 AM 

Panel Discussion: Trends in climate tech investing

Hear from cleantech investors and incubators on the trends they are seeing and about the decisions their firms are making in regards to investment and support priorities in 2026.

Panelists:

• Lara Croushore, Head of Climate, Second Muse
• Andy Gollach, Partner, SOSV
• Elisabeth Iszauk, Associate, Montauk Capital
• Ramkumar Krishnan, Head of Cleantech Incubation, LG Nova

Moderation by:

• Matt Harbaugh, Executive Director, US Research Impact Alliance; Managing Director, Mountain State Capital

10:20 AM

Panel Discussion: Challenges and approaches to deploying new grid technologies: How does a startup get a pilot and deployment in the conservative/regulated utility industry?

This panel will examine how startups can navigate the risk-averse utility industry to secure first-of-a-kind pilots and full-scale deployments. Experts will discuss the intersection of AI-driven grid modernization, national lab commercialization, and the collaborative strategies needed to scale sustainable energy technology.

Panelists:

• Benjamin Della Rocca, National Security Policy Lead, Anthropic
• Guru Nadkarni, Previously Vice President of Strategic Planning, Con Edison

• Karma Sawyer, Director, Electricity Infrastructure, & Buildings Division Director, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
• Deanna Zhang, Managing Partner, Node Climate

Moderation by:

• Reed McManigle, Chief Commercialization Officer, RETI Consortium

11:00 AM

11:15 AM

12:15 PM

Energy & Cleantech Startup Pitch Showcase

• MINQ
• Clear Solar Corporation
• Power 3D
• Pittsburgh Coastal Energy
• Woodland Biomass Innovations
• Realizse
• Bedrock Semiconductor
• Sudoc
• Sensible Photonics, Inc.
• DKW (a SAVD Solar Subsidiary)
• Clean Plate Innovations
• Grapheon Technologies
• PowIRgen Inc.
• Reclamation Factory
• Pearl Edison
• Thar Energy LLC
• Physics Inverted Materials, Inc.
• H Quest
• Arieca
• Tessera Materials 

2:45 PM

3:00 - 4:30 PM

CMU Investor Forum: One-on-one meetings (For investors and startups) 

Location: Connan Room, 1st floor, Cohon University Center

3:00 - 5:00 PM

Sandia BOOST Workshop (Invite only)

Location: McKenna/Peter/Wright Room, 2nd floor, Cohon University Center

3:00 PM

Panel Discussion: Distributed energy resources in an era of load growth: Business opportunities and challenges

In the early 2010s, Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) showed great promise.  Much of the promise remains unfulfilled. Is now the time for DERs to take the stage and play an important role in addressing the load growth problem? This panel will be dedicated to a discussion about the opportunities and the regulatory and financing challenges.

Panelists:

• Elizabeth Cook, Vice President of Technical Strategy, Association of Edison Illuminating Companies (AEIC)
• Don Dimitrievich, Senior Managing Director and Portfolio Manager, Energy Infrastructure Credit, Nuveen
• Colleen Lueken, Vice President of Analytics, Lightshift Energy 
• Daniel Schnitzer, Consulting Advisor - Analytics, Honeywell; formerly CEO of Sparkmeter

Moderation by:

• Chris Telmer, Associate Professor, Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University 

4:00 PM

Panel Discussion: RETI to Rock the Region

The Resilient Energy Technology and Infrastructure (RETI) Consortium was created to innovate and implement critical technologies for industrial grid resilience and energy efficiency. In this panel discussion, you’ll hear from the leaders of RETI on what the RETI Consortium is already doing in the region and its vision for the future.

Panelists: 

• Matt Harbaugh, Executive Director, US Research Impact Alliance; Managing Director, Mountain State Capital 
• Reed McManigle, Chief Commercialization Officer, RETI Consortium 
• Erienne Olesh, Executive Director, Office of Innovation and Commercialization, West Virginia University; CEO, RETI Consortium

Moderation by:

• Cindy Chepanoske, Director of Technology Licensing, Center for Technology Transfer and Enterprise Creation, Carnegie Mellon University

4:30 PM

Announcement of the 2026 Scott Institute Entrepreneurship Award Winners

5:00 - 7:00 PM

Energy and Cleantech Networking Reception 

Sponsor Remarks: Erienne Olesh, Executive Director, Office of Innovation and Commercialization, West Virginia University; CEO, RETI 

Location: Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship, Tepper School of Business

8:00 AM

8:00 - 9:00 AM

9:15 AM

9:30 AM

10:00 AM

Panel Discussion: Growing capacity: How can the US power grid evolve fast enough to meet the energy demands of today and tomorrow?

Artificial intelligence and electrification across all sectors are driving a surge in electricity demand that’s transforming where and how energy is needed. This panel explores the implications of load growth driven by electrification and AI, the infrastructure investments required to support it, and how to ensure that expansion is reliable, sustainable, and equitable.

Panelists: 

• Kimberly Barrow, Vice Chair, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
• Rachel Hienz, Assistant Training Director, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local #5
• J. Arnold Quinn, Senior VP Regulatory Policy, Vistra
• Madeline Yozwiak, Postdoctoral Researcher, Carnegie Mellon University

Moderation by:

• Paulina Jaramillo, Trustee Professor, Carnegie Mellon University

10:50 AM

Panel Discussion: Increasing reliability and resilience: What innovations in technology and system design can make the grid more resilient, flexible, and future-ready?

Modernizing the grid isn’t only about adding new transmission lines — it’s about rethinking how the system works. This session will explore advances in storage, grid controls, and flexible resources that can strengthen resilience against physical, cyber, and climate threats while improving efficiency and reliability.

Panelists: 

• Rick Kephart, VP Technology, Emerson Power and Water Solutions
• Nathan Kroeker, Chief Commercial Officer, Eos Energy Enterprises
• Fang Z. Peng, RK Mellon Endowed Chair Professor, University of Pittsburgh
• Anna Siefken, Director for Policy & Markets, North America, Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) Council

Moderation by:

• Ramteen Sioshansi, Professor, Carnegie Mellon University; Director, Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center (CEIC)

11:45 AM

12:00 - 1:15 PM

Research Exhibition: Engage with CMU grid researchers 

Location: McKenna/Peter/Wright Room, 2nd floor, Cohon University Center

12:00 PM

1:15 PM

Fireside Chat: Electrotech’s national security moment: powering AI, securing the grid, & outcompeting China 

• Mieke Eoyang, Visiting Professor, Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy & Technology (CMIST)
• Jordan Henry, Director, Cybersecurity Research Center - National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR)

Moderation by: 

• Harry Krejsa, Director of Studies, Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy & Technology, Carnegie Mellon University

2:00 PM

2:15 PM

Panel Discussion: Keeping energy affordable: How can the US reinvent the power grid without making electricity unaffordable for customers?

Reinventing the grid will require major investments in generation, transmission, resilience, and new technologies—but those costs ultimately flow to customers. This panel examines how grid modernization can be designed to keep electricity affordable, fairly allocate costs, and protect households and communities as demand grows and infrastructure expands.

Panelists:

• Jane Flegal, Senior Fellow, Searchlight Institute
• Tim Burdis, Director of State Policy Solutions, Pennsylvania - New Jersey - Maryland Interconnection (PJM)
• Steph Joven, Energy Research Analyst, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)
• Krysia Kubiak Vila-Roger, Managing Director of External Affairs & Regulatory Law, Duquesne Light Company (DLC)

Moderation by: 

• Destenie Nock, Assistant Professor, Carnegie Mellon University

3:10 PM

3:25 PM

4:05 PM

4:30 PM

Announcement of the 2026 Scott Institute Seed Award Winners

Closing remarks 

5:00 - 6:30 PM

Morning

Technology Showcase

Panel Discussion: Power Generation: “All Hands-on Deck”

Panel Discussion: Power Distribution: “Grid Resiliency in an Electrified Future”

Noon

Keynote lunch: Bob Evans, Cloud Wars

Technology Showcase