Campus community members interested in the future of sustainability gathered at the UNC Clean Tech Summit, which took place on Feb. 20 and Feb. 21.
The annual conference was co-hosted by the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School and the UNC Institute for the Environment, and included a variety of panelists who specialized in subjects ranging from coastal sustainability to energy production.
“We bring people from industry, government and academia — especially students — together to hopefully accelerate innovation, to show students career paths, to connect students with jobs,” Greg Gangi, professor and associate director for Clean Technology and Innovation, said.
Gangi said this conference illuminates a range of environmental issues, which society will need to deal with in the coming years.
“The thing that it does so well is bring in people interested in clean technology ... but they all fit together really well under this umbrella of smart things we can do to live in a way that makes more sense in a changing world,” Michael Piehler, professor and director of UNC Institute for the Environment, said.
The Clean Tech Summit places a special emphasis on students' learning, regardless of their individual interests.
“If you’re really interested in technology and saving the earth, it’s pretty interesting," Ani Arvind, a first-year student majoring in computer science and business administration, said after attending Thursday’s session. "There’s a bunch of different things you can learn.”
Over the course of the two-day conference, students had the opportunity to engage with experts and leaders through a career fair and mentor program, which matched students with a relevant industry professional.
“Many students have had life changing encounters there," Gangi said. "Some leading to a job or internship or just advice that they took to heart."
