The Ralph O’Connor Sustainable Energy Institute (ROSEI) celebrated its three-year birthday and Earth Day by hosting a party for Hopkins students, faculty, and staff in the Glass Pavilion on the Homewood campus. The celebration, which has become an annual tradition for ROSEI, had well over 100 people in attendance, making it the most well-attended event in the institute’s history.

“In addition to leading efforts across the university to create and implement clean, renewable and sustainable energy technologies, I want ROSEI to help build a vibrant community around energy at Hopkins,” said Ben Schafer, ROSEI’s director. “Having this many people show up to celebrate Earth Day and ROSEI’s birthday indicates that there is plenty of passion around sustainable energy at the university.”

Attendees were treated to a buffet lunch courtesy of Taco Love Grill at White Marsh and gourmet cupcakes from the Flour Connection. There were also free giveaways, including planters, lanyards, stickers, and pens. Schafer also spoke for a few minutes about what ROSEI has achieved in its three years, and where it hopes to go in its fourth.

“It was such a lovely lunch event. Great people, conversation, food, and giveaways,” said Ben Schafer, ROSEI’s director. “This is the last major event that ROSEI is hosting this year, and how well it went feels indicative of how year three has gone for the institute. ROSEI has made some serious strides in this past calendar year, highlighted by establishing a new global center focused on helping society transition towards 100% renewable energy for power grids and playing a leading role in establishing the Maryland presence in a new national center supporting offshore wind energy. We’re continuing to trend upwards as an institute, and don’t plan on stopping in our fourth year.”

ROSEI plans to continue to host events next year. Please contact ROSEI if you would like more information about next year’s events or would like to get involved with the institute.