The Ralph O’Connor Sustainable Energy Institute (ROSEI) and Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV) are hosting its second in-person workshop that will focus on translation to market for energy and sustainability technologies. It is going to take place on October 30 from 8:30 AM – 1 PM in the Glass Pavilion on the Homewood campus. A poster session for graduate students will take place, and free breakfast and lunch will be served for attendees.

The focus of this workshop is on companies that started with technologies that were initially created in an academic environment. Speakers both internal and external to Hopkins will be participating in conversations to provide insights on how they managed to make that transition from academia to business, and what advice they have for faculty and students at JHU that would like to make that same jump.

The registration period for this event has now closed. For further questions about attendance, please contact [email protected].

Presenters

Ben Schafer, Willard and Lillian Hackerman Professor of Civil and Systems Engineering at Johns Hopkins University; Director of ROSEI

Schafer is a structural engineer known for his research in structural stability and the mechanics and design of thin-walled structures. Schafer’s research focuses on enabling engineers to reliably design resilient civil structures that use minimal material. He is is dedicated to translation of his research to codes and standards that can be used by engineers to improve the reliability and efficiency of structures.

ROSEI addresses the development of sustainable energy technologies and their equitable implementation for the betterment of society. The institute, based in the Whiting School of Engineering, is a nexus for energy research at Johns Hopkins, engaging researchers across the university, including those at the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Applied Physics Laboratory, School of Advanced International Studies, Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the Carey Business School.

 

Liz Burger, Senior Director of Initiatives at Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV)

Burger serves as Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at JHTV. In this role, she ensures that JHTV’s resources are deployed effectively to enhance commercialization and innovation activities across the university and in the region. Prior to joining JHTV, Liz served as Executive Director/President of Evergreen Health Care, a post-Affordable Care Act health services startup organization. Liz also worked in a business consulting capacity at L.E.K. Consulting, where she conducted investment diligence analyses and provided strategic insights to companies in the retail and consumer products, life sciences, industrials and aviation industries.

JHTV aims to maximize the impact of Johns Hopkins University’s research excellence by facilitating the translation and commercialization of discoveries into accessible technologies, products and services that benefit society.

 

Christina DeMur, Director Technology Development at Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV)

DeMur is a global healthcare technology executive with a background that integrates clinical experience, product development and healthcare delivery. Over the course of her career she has developed and deployed 10 electro-medical devices and healthcare IT solutions as the head of R&D and General Manager. She is passionate about solving challenges in healthcare by building/leading teams to leverage technology, systems and solutions.

JHTV aims to maximize the impact of Johns Hopkins University’s research excellence by facilitating the translation and commercialization of discoveries into accessible technologies, products and services that benefit society.

 

Jonah Erlebacher, Founder & CTO at Etch; Professor at Johns Hopkins University

Erlebacher is a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at JHU, and serves as a core researcher for ROSEI. He is an inventor of six patents and applications, and an author of over 75 published papers. Erlebacher is also the founder and CTO for Etch.

ETCH’s revolutionary decarbonization technology delivers unrivaled economic value and versatility that will accelerate the clean energy transition. It scales from small, distributed uses to utility-scale with wide geographic applicability and without dependence on access to water, wind or solar.

 

Jonathan (Jon) Glass, Acting Deputy Director for Commercialization at ARPA-E

Glass serves as the Acting Deputy Director for Commercialization at the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E). He brings over twenty years of executive experience in business development, venture capital, technology commercialization, new business creation and IP licensing.

The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) advances high-potential, high-impact energy technologies that are too early for private-sector investment. ARPA-E awardees are unique because they are developing entirely new ways to generate, store, and use energy.

 

Wade Haerle, Director at MEIA

Haerle leads a team of experts and mentors who support early-stage energy entrepreneurs in developing and commercializing climate and energy technologies. With over 15 years of experience in public relations, entrepreneurship, and agribusiness, he brings a unique perspective and skillset to the energy sector, helping startups navigate the complex regulatory, market, and social challenges they face. His mission is to foster a vibrant and diverse energy innovation ecosystem in Maryland, where entrepreneurs can access the resources, networks, and opportunities they need to succeed.

The Maryland Energy Innovation Accelerator (MEIA) focuses on early-stage technology commercialization in partnership with Maryland-based businesses, universities and labs to support Maryland’s Clean Energy and Climate Goals. MEIA supports solar, wind, batteries, energy efficiency, grid modernization, carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS), and any other technology that reduces greenhouse gas emissions or provides negative emissions benefits in the electric, oil and gas, residential, commercial or industrial sectors.

 

Mark Juetten, Portfolio Development Officer at Early Charm Ventures

Juetten is an organic chemist with eight years of academic research experience, and five years of experience in commercializing technology. He loves coming up with the cutting edge solutions to the most challenging solutions in science, and is always open to talking with innovators that are looking for help to transform their science into real-world products.

Early Charm Ventures creates, owns and operates businesses that convert science into revenue. We are the management team, the operators and the entrepreneurs. We don’t write checks and just pop in for board meetings. We show up to our labs, our production facilities and our offices every day to do all the heavy lifting.

 

Addison Stark, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder at AtmosZero

Stark works between the worlds of research, business, and policy to drive the development and adoption of technologies to decarbonize industry. Outside AtmosZero, Stark advises early and mid-stage climatetech companies on technology development strategy, identification of non-dilutive funding sources to support critical-path R&D, and pre-development engineering.

AtmosZero is reimagining the boiler room for a decarbonized future by introducing its carbon-neutral, industrial electric boiler to enable pathways for a more sustainable future. By streamlining the process from design to installation, its high-efficiency electrified steam generator offers the most cost-effective, scalable, and secure solution to decarbonize steam production across industrial manufacturing, or wherever steam is used today. AtmosZero is backed by leading climate investors including Energy Impact Partners, Starlight Ventures and AENU, along with federal support from ARPA-E; the company is proudly based in Fort Collins, CO.

 

Gregory Thiel, Director of Technology at Energy Impact Partners

Thiel is a technologist with a deep background in energy sciences. His focus at EIP is driving excellence in technical diligence, helping evaluate companies and novel technologies for deep decarbonization. Prior to joining EIP, he served at ARPA-E in the U.S. Department of Energy, where he helped develop new programs and evaluate R&D in carbon removal and tough-to-decarbonize sectors, such as industrial heat and aviation.

Energy Impact Partners LP (EIP) is a global investment firm leading the transition to a sustainable future. EIP brings together entrepreneurs and some of the world’s most forward-looking energy and industrial companies to advance innovation. With over $3 billion in assets under management, EIP invests globally across venture, growth, credit, and infrastructure – and has a team of over 80 professionals based in its offices in New York, Atlanta, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Palm Beach, London, Cologne and Oslo.

 

Susanna Thon, Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins University

Thon is an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, and serves as a core researcher for ROSEI. She studies nanomaterials engineering for optoelectronic devices, with a focus on solar energy conversion and sensing.

Thon and her colleagues have recently developed new materials-based methods to increase the power output of next-generation solar cells, as well as a new multimodal characterization technique to accelerate technology development. Her team is currently working on a number of projects, including the development of plasmonic-photocatalytic systems that use nanoparticles containing aluminum to enhance light absorption in titanium dioxide. She is also a leader of ROSEI’s storage pillar.