IAC Students Attend the IETC in Houston, May 2003
May 25, 2003
A group of IAC students from six centers came together to attend the Industrial Energy Technology Conference (IETC) in Houston, May 13-15, 2003. The two-day conference is designed to serve the industry professionals who are involved in the production, use, or transportation of energy, or in designing and evaluating energy-related equipment and waste reduction practices. Conference attendees included representatives from industry and government, all with professional responsibilities to implement energy efficiency and reduce waste for their customers or their own organizations. Sessions on industrial innovations, energy use and waste reduction programs, and the latest in state and federal programs affecting industry were presented.
Through their participation in the IETC and the pre- and post-conference workshops, the IAC students were able to learn about strategies for implementing energy projects, and network with industry plant and company managers, and with each other. Christopher Schmidt, graduate student with the University of Dayton IAC, presented the paper he co-authored with his IAC Director, Dr. Kelly Kissock, on Characteristics of Industrial Air Compressors. IAC students in attendance were: Adam Knapp (Syracuse University), Jonathan Simpson (Texas A&M), Joel Stanwood (Texas A&M), Joo Ching Yong (Oklahoma State University), Jeff Sams (Texas A&M), Deepak Kumar (University of Texas at Arlington), Mike McCarty (Iowa State University), Christopher Schmidt (University of Dayton), and Huseyin Yalcin (Lehigh University
The 2004 IETC will be held on Wednesday, April 21and Thursday, April 22. IAC students are encouraged to author and submit technical papers for the 2004 conference. Abstracts should be sent to Jim Eggebrecht (jim@esl.tamu.edu), IETC Executive Director, by September 4, 2004. Check out the IETC web site at: http://www-esl.tamu.edu/ietc/index.htm, for details on next year's meeting.
For more information on attending professional conferences, talk with your Director first, and then contact Michaela Martin, IAC Student Activities Coordinator, at martinma@ornl.gov.
Comments from Students
This conference made me aware of some other things I previously thought were not so important. This conference was not just a technical conference; most of the presenters were plant or company managers. They mainly talked about managing projects which are mostly energy conservation projects. That's one thing we are not able to learn from IAC experience. We determine the problem in the plant and tell them to solve it. But we don't spend too much time on how to solve the problem specifically.
Huseyin Yalcin, Lehigh University IAC
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to attend this conference. I learned how close the work we do in the IAC is to the real world. It was also an excellent chance for students from different IACs to get together and share their experience. I got to know new friends and some potential employers and clients.
Jooching Yong, Oklahoma State University IAC
The Energy Managers workshop was a great way to see the energy saving opportunities that have been implemented at various types of facilities. Managers shared their experiences, both their successes and their struggles, in producing a successful energy program. This was a helpful experience for several reasons. First off, it was reassuring to hear that many of the energy improvements are recommendations that we make at the IAC. Many times we do not follow our energy recommendations to completion, and hearing of successful implementations is encouraging. It was also interesting to hear the strategies involved in establishing a continuous and successful energy program.
Phillip Valenzuela, University of Illinois-Chicago IAC