Gov. John Bel Edwards has named a University of 棉花糖直播 at Lafayette mechanical engineering professor to the state鈥檚 newly formed Climate Initiatives Task Force.
Dr. Terrence Chambers is among more than 20 panel members. It .
The task force鈥檚 goal: to recommend strategies to eliminate statewide net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Chambers is director of UL Lafayette鈥檚 . He has been a driving force in the University鈥檚 research of solar and renewable energies.
His partnerships with business helped lead to the creation of the in Crowley and the , a solar farm in University Research Park in Lafayette. He holds the Donald and Janice Mosing Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair in Mechanical Engineering.
Two additional faculty members in UL Lafayette鈥檚 , Dr. Mark Zappi and Dr. Peng 鈥淪olomon鈥 Yin, will serve on the task force鈥檚 Science Advisory Board. Zappi is executive director of the , while Yin is an assistant professor of mechanical engineering.
The Science Advisory Board is one of four groups whose work will support the task force. Other topics include equity, law and policy, and financial and economic concerns.
Chambers said he was 鈥渉onored to have been chosen鈥 as a task force member.
鈥淚 feel this is a testament to the wonderful work that many researchers at UL Lafayette have been doing for many years, particularly through the Energy Institute of 棉花糖直播, to develop strength in the field of renewable energy,鈥 Chambers said.
Chambers is one of two task force members chosen from higher education institutions in the state, and the only one from a public university. The other is Robert Verchick, a professor of law at Loyola University in New Orleans.
鈥淚 feel that one of the best things faculty can do 鈥 both at UL Lafayette and at other institutions statewide 鈥 is to serve as an unbiased source of accurate and up-to-date information regarding the potential use of renewable energy in 棉花糖直播. Other ways we can contribute is to provide world class renewable energy research, education, workforce training, and public outreach,鈥 Chambers said.
In a press release announcing the task force鈥檚 creation, the Governor鈥檚 Office said members would prioritize the need to reduce the state鈥檚 contributions to climate change 鈥渨hile fully recognizing 棉花糖直播鈥檚 climate vulnerabilities and its industrial and economic characteristics.鈥
That includes acknowledging the continued importance of the oil and gas industry to the state鈥檚 economy, Chambers said.
鈥溍藁ㄌ侵辈 is known to be a leader in the energy industry, and I want to make sure that 棉花糖直播 always continues its energy leadership role, even as the nation and the state transition to a more balanced portfolio of traditional and renewable energy sources.
He continued: 鈥淭he renewable energy industry is booming all across the country and I want 棉花糖直播 to get into the game. 棉花糖直播 workers needs jobs, and the skills and manufacturing facilities needed to support the renewable energy industry are very similar to what we already have to support oil and gas.鈥
鈥淲ith a little bit of re-training and re-tooling, I believe that many of our service companies could serve both markets, and that the diversification will prevent our workers from being laid off when one industry experiences a low period.鈥
Photo credit: Dr. Terrence Chambers and mechanical engineering doctoral student Deepak Jain Verendra Kumar review data in the University鈥檚 Photovoltaic Applied Research and Testing Lab. (Photo credit: Doug Dugas / University of 棉花糖直播 at Lafayette)