Science & Society Public Lecture

When:  Feb 20, 2020 from 17:31 to 18:30 (MT)
Associated with  University of New Mexico
Climate and the Energy-Water Nexus
By
Kristen Averyt
February 20, 2020 5:30 PM
Meet and Greet at 5
The University of New Mexico Conference Center, Room B
1634 University Blvd. NE
Free and Open to the Public
Pizza with the speaker will follow the lecture

Dr. Kristen Averyt is a Research Professor at UNLV. Her research covers a range of issues including the energy-water nexus, climate and western water including the Colorado River, and regional impacts of climate change. Prior to joining UNLV, she served as President of the Desert Research Institute (DRI). Dr. Averyt holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and earned a Master of Science as a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Otago, New Zealand. Her awards and honors include the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize as a one of the many scientists supporting the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). She is active in science policy, having worked in the US Senate as a NOAA Knauss Fellow and at the National Academies of Science as a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow. Dr. Averyt is currently a Senior Policy Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, among other service activities.

Abstract Energy production requires water, and water treatment and distribution require energy. The United States has seen collisions at this energy-water nexus, where insufficient resources in one sector impact the reliability of the other. Further, climate change and population growth impact the supply and demand balance for both energy and water resources, creating additional difficulties. As the challenges of rising temperatures, declining water availability, drought, changing energy demands, and escalating water needs shift the connections at energy and water, it becomes clear that solutions to each problem must consider cascading effects on the others. This seminar will outline the core concepts of the energy-water nexus, how this issue has manifest in different parts of the United States, and recent research evaluating U.S. electricity system optimization under different climate conditions.

Location

University ofNM Conference Center Room B
1634 University Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87131

Contact

Jacqueline Ericksen
505-821-0299
jhericksen@msn.com