Mines Global Energy Future Innovation Forum – November 2, 2023
Join Colorado School of Mines’ Global Energy Future Initiative as we explore the tremendous challenges facing the energy sector and meet the innovators rising to meet them.
Event Date: Thursday, November 2, 2023
Event Time: 1:00PM – 5:30PM MT
Networking Reception: 5:30pm – 6:30pm MT
Location: Friedhoff Hall, Colorado School of Mines, 924 16th St. Golden, CO 80401 (MAP IT)
Parking: Click here for visitor parking information
Accommodations: Click here for hotel options near campus
Attendees from industry, government, civil society and academia will benefit from:
- Forward-looking insights from industry and government leaders
- Cutting-edge energy research presentations by faculty experts
- Energy innovators networking reception
- Opportunity to join Mines’ Global Energy Future Initiative (GEFI)
Stick around to join us on the following day, November 3, for the GEFI Innov8x Challenge. Mines students will pitch solutions to current challenges submitted by leading energy companies, competing to win funding to pursue energy research and startups.
For more information, or with questions please contact global@mines.edu.
Interested in sponsoring the Global Energy Future Innovation Forum or GEFI Innov8x Challenge?

Keynote Speakers
Announcements coming soon!
MINES TALK PRESENTERS
Reza Hedayat Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Dr. Reza Hedayat is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. He received his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Purdue University. Dr. Hedayat’s research focuses on evaluation of geomaterials and sustainable construction materials. Dr. Hedayat is the recipient of the Early Career Award from the US Department of Energy, Cook Ph.D. Dissertation award from the American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA), and the Manuel Rocha Medal Runner-Up Award from the International Society of Rock Mechanics (ISRM).

Eliza Hotchkiss, PhD Student, Advanced Energy Systems Program
Eliza is researching the intersection between energy security and resilience as part of the CSM AES PhD program. After researching resilience extensively, she is exploring the overlap between resilience and energy security, including definitions, metrics, algorithms, and methodologies, to include the role of renewable energy technologies.

Dorothy Kanini Mwanzia, PhD Student
As a dedicated researcher specializing in carbon dioxide storage, Dorothy’s primary focus is to replicate the CO2 sequestration process in various geologic formations using laboratory experiments. Dorothy aims to analyze the response of petrophysical and physical properties during carbon injection, driven by a deep passion for making significant contributions to the future of carbon capture and storage. Her enthusiasm lies in exploring the technical intricacies of CO2 sequestration in saline aquifers and diverse rock formations, with the goal of advancing carbon capture and storage practices in this rapidly evolving field.

Alexis Navarre-Sitchler, Professor, Department of Geology and Geological Engineering
Dr. Navarre-Sitchler is a Professor in the Geology and Geological Engineering Department at Colorado School of Mines. She is an expert in geochemical kinetics and application of numerical simulation to answer questions about geochemical processes in natural and engineered Earth systems. Her current interests lie in the areas of chemical reactions induced during CO2 and fluid injection into the subsurface.

Brian Trewyn, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Associate Director, Materials Science Program
Prof. Trewyn’s expertise is in the synthesis, characterization, and application development of porous materials. His research activities focus on bioactive molecule delivery to viable cells, chemical separations, heterogeneous catalysis, and combining multiple catalysts into single systems. His teaching experience is in biochemistry, microbiology, and the chemistry and biochemistry of pharmaceuticals for senior undergrads and the fundamentals of heterogeneous catalysis for senior undergraduate and graduate students. His research interest in energy aligns largely with hydrogen storage/transportation and methane utilization.

Luis Zerpa, Associate Professor/Associate Department Head, Harry D. Campbell Endowed Chair in Petroleum Engineering
Luis Zerpa is an Associate Professor and Associated Department Head of the Petroleum Engineering Department at the Colorado School of Mines. Luis holds the Harry D. Campbell Endowed Chair in Petroleum Engineering and is the Director of the Center for Rock and Fluid Multiphysics. Luis received his degrees in Mechanical Engineering (BS and MS) from the University of Zulia (Venezuela) and PhD in Petroleum Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. Luis has been working on reservoir engineering related projects in industry and academia for over 20 years. His research combines experimental and modeling evaluation of multiphysical properties of rocks, fluids, and their interactions with applications to petroleum reservoir engineering, geothermal, and geologic carbon sequestration (CCUS).

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Thank you to our GEFI Founding Members

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