Fire helmet in lab

WPI to Host the Center for Global Public Safety Industry Stakeholders' Forum

Mass. Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Matthew Beaton to deliver keynote address.
Media Contact
March 26, 2019

On March 27, 2019 the Center for Global Public Safety (CGPS) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is hosting the Second Annual Industry Stakeholders’ Forum. CGPS aims to create partnerships with members of industry, academia, and local agencies to identify and address pressing concerns in public safety at both local and global levels. 

This year the theme of the forum is "Energy Initiatives & Their Impact on Public Safety." Matthew A. Beaton ’01, Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, will serve as keynote speaker. There will also be a panel discussion, break-out sessions, and an opportunity to learn about the innovative research being done at WPI in this field.

This event will focus on identifying the greatest research needs in each industry area as they relate to global public safety in general and energy in particular. The ultimate goal is to determine how to best leverage the expertise and facilities available at WPI and CGPS academic partner institutions to drive education, outreach, and strategic alliances for the development of smarter, safer, and more resilient communities worldwide. Professionals will be on hand from many different industries such as fire protection, water quality, food safety, transportation, and first responder technologies, which are all directly affected by energy concerns in different ways.

When

March 27, 2019

9 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Where

Rubin Campus Center

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

100 Institute Road

Worcester, MA 01609

AGENDA

9 a.m. Welcome

  • Laurie Leshin, WPI President
  • John McNeill, WPI Dean of Engineering, ad interim                            

9:15 a.m. A Word from Our Co-Director

  • Milosh Puchovsky, WPI Professor of Fire Protection Engineering

9:30 a.m. Keynote Speaker

  • Matthew Beaton, Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs

9:55 a.m. Perspectives on Energy

  • Mike Ahern, WPI Director of Power Systems
  • Mike Timko, WPI Professor of Chemical Engineering & Chair of the Energy Research Group

10:30 a.m. Panel Discussion – Energy Technologies:  Opportunities & Challenges  

Moderated by Mike Ahern, WPI Director of Power Systems

  • John Khalil, Associate Director of Research at United Technologies Research Center
  • Tom O’Rourke, Project Manager Gas Technical Sales at Eversource
  • Mark Macaulay, VP of Advanced CHP Applications at ZHP Systems
  • Justin Woodard, Principal Engineer at National Grid
  • Galen Nelson, Senior Director of the Innovation and Industry Support (IIS) Division at Mass CEC
  • Pravin Gandhi, Corporate Fellow, Retail & Industry R&D at UL
  • Leo Subbarao, Lead Fire Protection Engineer at FDNY

1:30 p.m.  Solar Decathlon Presentation

  • Tahar El-Korchi, WPI Professor and Department Head, Civil & Environmental Engineering
  • Steven Van Dessel, WPI Associate Professor, Architectural Engineering

2:15 p.m.   Roundtable Discussions & Breakout Sessions                        

3:15 p.m.   Summary of Findings

3:45 p.m.   Conclusion & Closing Remarks



About Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, a purpose-driven community of educators and researchers, has been the global leader in project-based learning for 50 years. An impact maker for higher education and the world, WPI prepares confident, competent problem solvers with a project-based curriculum that immerses students in authentic, real-world experiences.

John McNeill
John McNeill
John A. McNeill joined WPI in 1994 after nearly a decade in industry, and recently returned to the ECE department after serving in the Dean of Engineering office from 2018 to 2025.  He is a senior member of IEEE and a member of the American Society for Engineering Education, the [...]
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Milosh Puchovsky
Milosh Puchovsky
Professor of Practice & Associate Department Head, Fire Protection Engineering
Practicing fire protection engineers are trained to recognize and assess a broad range of complex fire and life safety issues. They are called upon to bring forth technical knowledge and the skills necessary to develop effective solutions. Through my academic and professional pra [...]
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Michael Timko
Michael Timko
William B. Smith Professor and Department Head of Chemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering
Sharing that “ah hah” moment with a student struggling and suddenly mastering a difficult concept; helping expand the intellectual horizons of an aspiring engineer; tackling and solving problems that challenge the energy, economic, and environmental security with passionate stude [...]
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Steven Van Dessel
Steven Van Dessel
My research and teaching activities are in the area of sustainable building design and building technology, with a special focus on the study of adaptive building enclosure systems. One of the goals of this research is to develop smart materials that can alter their thermal prope [...]
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Tahar El-Korchi
Tahar El-Korchi
I enjoy my interactions with students at all levels of education, research, and mentoring, whether it be in the classroom, the lab, or in project work. I especially enjoy taking them to the Morocco Project Center and sharing with them the places where I grew up. Challenging the s [...]
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