Events

Dr. J. Carlos Santamarina, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech, will give a talk entitled "Energy: A Geo-Centered Perspective" as part of the Claude R. Hocott Graduate Seminar Series.

Bio:  J. Carlos Santamarina is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, where he holds the Goizueta Foundation Faculty Chair. Dr. Santamarina graduated from Universidad Nacional de Cordoba (Ingeniero Civil), and completed graduate studies at the University of Maryland (MSc) and Purdue University (PhD). He taught at NYU-Polytechnic University and at the University of Waterloo (Canada). Two books and more than 200 publications authored by Dr. Santamarina summarize salient concepts and research results. His former doctoral students are faculty members, researchers or practicing engineers at leading universities and organizations worldwide. Dr. Santamarina is a frequent keynote speaker at international events; a member of both Argentinean National Academies (Sciences and Engineering); and a member of the standing Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering at the USA National Academies. He is a recipient of a number of prestigious awards including the ASTM Hogentogler Award.

Abstract: Energy and growth are intimately related. There will be a pronounced increase in energy demand in the next decades associated to economical development and population growth worldwide. This situation will exacerbate current issues related to the spatial distributions of supply and demand, the dependency on fossil fuels and its environmental consequences. Geo-sciences and engineering are at the center of the energy challenge, from production, transportation, consumption and conservation, to waste management and carbon sequestration, and their central roles extend to all energy resources, including fossil fuels, nuclear energy and renewable sources.