2019 UNC Clean Tech Summit features industry and policy leaders; inaugural career fair
January 22, 2019
The UNC Clean Tech Summit convenes students and professionals in business, policy and academia for two days of problem-solving to foster leadership and growth in the Southeast’s clean tech economy.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) will host its sixth annual UNC Clean Tech Summit on Feb. 28 and Mar. 1 at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill. The event highlights the latest innovations, trends and challenges in the clean technology industry and how North Carolina is playing a key role in leading the way to a global clean energy economy. The Summit is co-hosted by the UNC Institute for the Environment and the Center for Sustainable Enterprise at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.
This year’s featured speakers include:
- Philip Mezey, CEO of Itron: Innovations driving smart cities initiatives in the U.S. and in Europe
- DeAndrea Salvador, Founder & CEO of RETI: Initiatives to ensure low-income access to energy security
- Julie Borlaug, VP Communications at Inari: Transformational plant breeding technology
- Julia Hamm, President and CEO of SEPA: The future of electricity
- Michael Regan, Secretary of N.C. DEQ: Plans for N.C. to support the expansion of clean energy businesses and reduce carbon emissions
Speakers and panels at the summit will focus on themes including entrepreneurship, renewable energy, sustainable farming and clean tech, energy storage and efficiency, smart and connected communities, sustainability, coastal resiliency, and investment and finance. A full agenda is available online.
This year’s Summit includes the inaugural clean tech career fair on Friday, Mar. 1 from 3 to 5 p.m. The fair will feature onsite talent acquisition professionals from a range of companies with internships, future job positions, and in-person networking opportunities. This event also will feature a ‘resume roundup’ to help students polish the presentation of their skillset. Companies can sign up to participate in this no-fee event.
Registration for students and professionals for the successful mentor program are open through Feb. 14. This collaboration with the Center for Sustainable Enterprise at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School provides opportunities for students and industry leaders to connect in-person, share insights and learn from each other. Students and professionals must register by the deadline date.
The Summit provides a range of registration options including student rates and choices for nonprofits, government and industry professionals that are accessible on the event website.
Cypress Creek Renewables and Strata Solar are lead sponsors for the event. Other sponsors include Bank of America, Birdseye Renewable Energy, Southern Company, Duke Energy, Lee-Moore Capital Company, Scott Madden, ABB, NC Sustainable Energy Association, Center for European Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill, Center for Sustainable Enterprise at UNC-Chapel Hill, Itron, Novozymes, O2 EMC, Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster, Southeastern Wind Coalition, the Department of Computer Science at UNC-Chapel Hill, and the Environmental Finance Center at the UNC School of Government.