Panel Speakers
Title: Smart Infrastructure and the Urban Underground
Thursday, September 17th, 2020 at 11:30PM – 1:00AM (Beijing), 11:30AM – 1:00PM (Washington), 05:30PM – 07:00PM (Rome)
Thursday, September 17th, 2020 at 11:30PM – 1:00AM (Beijing), 11:30AM – 1:00PM (Washington), 05:30PM – 07:00PM (Rome)
Short description: This panel session will present perspectives on how urban communities can use underground space resources to advantage in planning for cities that are more resilient and sustainable. Smart cities with a focus on how the underground can be used. Priscilla Nelson, Colorado School of Mines, will moderate this discussion that explores an important path forward for our urban regions of the future.
Speaker: Priscilla P. Nelson, PhD, Professor at the Colorado School of Mines. She previously was Provost at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), program director and senior advisor at the US National Science Foundation (NSF), and Professor in Civil Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. She has an international reputation in geological and rock engineering, and has been involved in the underground construction industry for over 45 years.
Speaker: Wenzhan Song, PhD, Professor at the University of Georgia is working toward extending his work on real-time subsurface seismic imaging to creating the first subsurface digital cameras by integrating real-time distributed geophysical analytics within sensor networks.
Speaker: Rana Sen leads Deloitte’s US smart city initiative and is a leader in the U.S. state/local transportation practice. His work includes smart enterprise strategy, design and implementation of smart transportation solutions, automation of long-term care case management, and disease surveillance and outbreak prevention system. He has 21+ years of experience in strategy development, design, implementation, and leadership of major government transformation initiatives in smart city/enterprises, transportation, public health, human services, and finance and administration.
Speaker: Glenn Ricart, PhD is co-founder of US Ignite (https://www.us-ignite.org/) and an Internet pioneer who implemented the first Inter-net interconnection point and was recognized for this achievement by being inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame. His perspectives are informed by his experience in innovation from academia, federal agencies, and large and small corporate environments, including serving as CEO and President of National LambdaRail.
Speaker:Anna J. Siefken, Executive Director of Carnegie Mellon’s Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation. Siefken is the inaugural executive director of the Scott Institute where she helps drive initiatives integral to the Institute’s mission and vision. Previously, she served as the Scott Institute’s Associate Director for Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, a role in which she deepened engagements and developed an innovative partnership strategy that promotes collaboration with industry, government, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, universities and several of Carnegie Mellon's energy-related centers. The strategy focused on research, commercializing technologies, education and outreach.
Prior to joining CMU in 2016, Siefken was the Pittsburgh 2030 District director and vice president of Strategic Engagement for the Green Building Alliance, one of the largest regional chapters of the U.S. Green Building Council. She previously worked at ICF International and The Home Depot headquarters. She is a founding member of the international 2030 District Network’s Board of Governors. Siefken is one of six CMU-affiliated women who were honored with the Pittsburgh Business Times’ 2016 Women in Energy Leadership Award. In 2018, she received the Cribs for Kids' Women of Achievement award for promoting a sustainable community, her work with the Pittsburgh 2030 District and being an exemplary role model for women and girls. Most recently, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory selected Siefken as a member of its national Executive Energy Leadership Academy cohort.
Speaker: Priscilla P. Nelson, PhD, Professor at the Colorado School of Mines. She previously was Provost at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), program director and senior advisor at the US National Science Foundation (NSF), and Professor in Civil Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. She has an international reputation in geological and rock engineering, and has been involved in the underground construction industry for over 45 years.
Speaker: Wenzhan Song, PhD, Professor at the University of Georgia is working toward extending his work on real-time subsurface seismic imaging to creating the first subsurface digital cameras by integrating real-time distributed geophysical analytics within sensor networks.
Speaker: Rana Sen leads Deloitte’s US smart city initiative and is a leader in the U.S. state/local transportation practice. His work includes smart enterprise strategy, design and implementation of smart transportation solutions, automation of long-term care case management, and disease surveillance and outbreak prevention system. He has 21+ years of experience in strategy development, design, implementation, and leadership of major government transformation initiatives in smart city/enterprises, transportation, public health, human services, and finance and administration.
Speaker: Glenn Ricart, PhD is co-founder of US Ignite (https://www.us-ignite.org/) and an Internet pioneer who implemented the first Inter-net interconnection point and was recognized for this achievement by being inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame. His perspectives are informed by his experience in innovation from academia, federal agencies, and large and small corporate environments, including serving as CEO and President of National LambdaRail.
Speaker:Anna J. Siefken, Executive Director of Carnegie Mellon’s Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation. Siefken is the inaugural executive director of the Scott Institute where she helps drive initiatives integral to the Institute’s mission and vision. Previously, she served as the Scott Institute’s Associate Director for Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, a role in which she deepened engagements and developed an innovative partnership strategy that promotes collaboration with industry, government, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, universities and several of Carnegie Mellon's energy-related centers. The strategy focused on research, commercializing technologies, education and outreach.
Prior to joining CMU in 2016, Siefken was the Pittsburgh 2030 District director and vice president of Strategic Engagement for the Green Building Alliance, one of the largest regional chapters of the U.S. Green Building Council. She previously worked at ICF International and The Home Depot headquarters. She is a founding member of the international 2030 District Network’s Board of Governors. Siefken is one of six CMU-affiliated women who were honored with the Pittsburgh Business Times’ 2016 Women in Energy Leadership Award. In 2018, she received the Cribs for Kids' Women of Achievement award for promoting a sustainable community, her work with the Pittsburgh 2030 District and being an exemplary role model for women and girls. Most recently, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory selected Siefken as a member of its national Executive Energy Leadership Academy cohort.
