Tuesday, December 6, 2011

TEF Officer and Committee Member Applications

Applications for the 2012 TEF Officer and Committee Member positions have been posted and will be available until the deadline on Sunday, December 18th. While we are only accepting Juniors and Sophomores for Officer positions, anyone can apply for the Committee Member positions. For more information on the positions, check out the "Apply" page, and for more information on the organization's structure, check out the "About Us" page.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any of the officers on the "Contacts" page. Good luck with finals!

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

11/29: TEF Info Session on Leadership Opportunities for Spring, 6:30pm

Just a reminder that we're having an info session tonight in CBA 4.326(note different room) at 6:30pm to talk about the different leadership opportunities starting in the spring. If you're thinking about a career in energy and you're looking for a way to get involved and gain leadership experience, now is the time to do it with the Texas Energy Forum. Applications will be online at our website later this week and will be available until the deadline on Friday, December 18th.The meeting shouldn't last more than 30 minutes and we're catering Domino's pizza for free so if nothing else, stop by and grab something to eat and hear about some of the upcoming events next semester.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

11/18 - EMIC hosts the Sustainable Urban Design Conference


SUSTAINABLE URBAN DESIGN CONFERENCE

(Check out the link above to learn more about the event)


November 18, 2011
AT&T Center, Austin Texas
1900 University Avenue
Austin, TX 78705

Hosted by: McCombs School of Business' Centers: Energy Management and Innovation Center and the Real Estate Finance and Investment Center
As we plan communities of the future and live in the cities of today, transportation systems and urban planning are two areas that offer opportunities for reduced environmental impact, decreased energy consumption, and long-term economic savings. This half-day conference will discuss research developments and current best practices to address these concerns. It will also explore ways for universities, communities and corporations to collaborate and make progress toward improving the sustainable nature of our cities.

11/17: UTES Lecture: "Our Sustainable Earth"

Our Sustainable Earth
by
Dr. Ray Orbach
(Director, Energy Institute, UT Austin)

17 November, 5:15-6:15pm
WELCH HALL (WEL) 2.308

Open to all. Refreshments served at 5:00pm
Please settle in by 5:10pm


Speaker Bio:


Raymond Lee Orbach is the Director of the Energy Institute at UT Austin. In 2006, he was nominated by President Bush, and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate, to serve as the first Under Secretary for Science at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Prior to and concurrent with serving as Under Secretary for Science, Dr. Orbach served as the 14th Director of the Office of Science at the Department of Energy, after being sworn in as Director in March 2002. From 1992 to 2002, Dr. Orbach served as Chancellor of the University of California (UC), Riverside.


He has received numerous honors as a scholar including two Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowships, a National Science Foundation Senior Postdoctoral Fellowship at Oxford University, a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship at Tel Aviv University, the Joliot Curie Professorship at the École Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles de la Ville de Paris, the Lorentz Professorship at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, the 1991-1992 Andrew Lawson Memorial Lecturer at UC Riverside, the 2004 Arnold O. Beckman Lecturer in Science and Innovation at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the Outstanding Alumni Award from the California Institute of Technology in 2005. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and has held numerous visiting professorships at universities around the world.


Dr. Orbach began his academic career as a postdoctoral fellow at Oxford University in 1960 and became an assistant professor of applied physics at Harvard University in 1961. He later joined the faculty of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1963, and served as the Provost of the College of Letters and Science at UCLA from 1982 to 1992.


Dr. Orbach received his Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from the California Institute of Technology in 1956. He received his Ph.D. degree in Physics from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1960 and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.


Next Talk:

5:15-6:15pm, 26 January (Spring 2012). Location: MEZ 1.306 (Mezes Hall)

Previous Talks:

For slides/videos of previous UTES talks go to this link.

Monday, November 7, 2011

11/15 - UBS Global Energy Group - Networking Event


All,

The Global Energy Group of UBS Investment Bank will be hosting a recruiting event at Austin's Pizza on Tuesday, November 15 at 6:45 PM. UBS has recently opened a event notification on Simplicity and request that interested student RSVP to attend the event. UBS looks forward to students signing up to join them for dinner and a chance to meet several of the Energy Group members in attendance. Suggested attire for the event is business casual.

The online event notification will close soon and space is limited, so if you are interested, please RSVP as soon as possible. Thanks for your help, and we look forward to meeting many members of your association.



11/10 - UTES Lecture: “Regulating Power Plant Emissions in Texas: The Role of EPA"




Regulating Power Plant Emissions in Texas: The Role of EPA
by
Jim Marston
(Director of the Texas Regional Office and Director of the Energy Program, Environmental Defense Fund)

November 10th, 5:15-6:15pm
WELCH HALL (WEL) 2.308

Open to all. Refreshments served at 5:00pm
Please settle in by 5:10pm



Speaker Bio:
Jim Marston is the founding director of the Texas office of Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), located in Austin, where he has served since its beginning in 1988. Jim is the head of EDF's national Energy Program and also serves as Regional Director of EDF’s Texas Office. 

He is also a leader of the Pecan Street Project, a partnership that includes Austin Energy, the University of Texas, the Chamber of Commerce, and several large high/clean tech companies aimed at making fundamental changes in the nation's electricity grid. Jim also helped to design and to advocate for some of the most innovative state legislation in the country including the Texas Renewable Portfolio Standard that led to almost 10,000 MW’s of new wind energy in Texas and the first-in-the-nation “no regrets” global warming law.

Jim was EDF’s State Climate Initiatives director from 2002 until 2009. In that position, he helped direct EDF’s successes in states from the west coast to New England and Florida on a wide-range of legislation and regulations to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. Among EDF’s most important state climate victories was the passage of the California Car Greenhouse Gas Standards in 2002 that ultimately lead to national greenhouse standards for automobiles in 2010 and the passage of AB32 in 2006, the first state legislation with a cap on statewide emissions of greenhouse gases.

Next Talk:
17 November, “Our Sustainable Earth”
    Speaker: Dr. Ray Orbach, Director, Energy Institute, UT Austin

11/10 - Hess Company Brief n Meet

Brief n' Meet: Hess Company Overview 
(BBA Brief and Meet for 2012 Summer Internships)

Thurs – Nov. 10
5:30-6:30pm
UTC 3.102


:
Brief and Meet with Hess GSC organization.
Come meet with HR Representatives and Alumni to hear about internship and job opportunities at Hess.

Refreshments will be provided.

PLEASE RSVP IN SYMPLICITY!

11/10 - Citi Institutional Clients Group

Brief n' Meet: Citi Institutional Clients Group


Thurs – Nov. 10, 
5:30-6:30pm
UTC 3.104



:
Please join Citi representatives to learn more about summer internship opportunities in Citi's Institutional Clients Group. Investment Banking and Corporate Banking representatives will be present.

Please RSVP in Symplicity!!!
:
Business Casual

11/8 TEF Event: Breaking into Investment Banking



Date: Tues, Nov 8
Time: 6:30-7:30pm
Place: CBA 4.344

On Tuesday, November 8th, the Texas Energy Forum is hosting a careers and interviewing panel of senior McCombs students with internship experience in energy investment banking. Students will discuss how to successfully navigate the rigorous recruiting and interview process and provide straightforward advice on how to land positions at energy investment banks. The panel of speakers will feature students with experience at Citi, Simmons, Credit Suisse and other prominent investment banks with energy and natural resource groups in Houston. Food and drinks will be provided, and the meeting is open to all students at the University of Texas.

11/7 Are Algae Biofuels the Future of Energy?

Audience: Open to the public
Date: Monday, November 7, 2011
Time: 11:30am - 1:00pm
Location:
AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center
Room 204
1900 University Ave.
Austin, TX 78705

Cost: $20. Includes box lunch with a sandwich, drink, fruit, dessert and beverage.




Oil is big business, but the industry will see a massive shift over the next century to alternative fuels, as petroleum supplies dwindle and become too expensive. Wind and solar hold promise for our electricity needs, but what will power our cars, planes and boats?

Dr. Jerry Brand sees one answer in the diverse world of algae. The science is advancing rapidly and biofuel production can ramp up to scale with sufficient investments made toward the remaining obstacles and developing technology. All over the world - even in the oceans - algae might be grown simply, densely and efficiently.

Some algae are loaded with oil that could be extracted and used as a biodiesel fuel, while others may be burnt or fermented to produce an alternative to gasoline. And biofuel production is only one of many commercial applications of algae that are now being developed.

Join us for lunch to learn about the promise of the developing algal biofuel industry and how it could shape our energy future.

Jerry Brand is the Jack S. Josey Professor in Energy Studies and professor of biology in the College of Natural Sciences. He is the director of The University of Texas at Austin’s UTEX Culture Collection of Algae, one of the most extensive and diverse collections of living algae in the world. Some of them could hold the key to our energy future.

Registration for this event will close on Thursday, Nov 3. Walk-ins are welcome to register at the door, but only a limited number of box lunches will be available for walk-ins.

Monday, October 31, 2011

11/8 TEF Event: Breaking into Investment Banking


Date: Tues, Nov 8
Time: 6:30-7:30pm
Place: CBA 4.344

On Tuesday, November 8th, the Texas Energy Forum is hosting a careers and interviewing panel of senior McCombs students with internship experience in energy investment banking. Students will discuss how to successfully navigate the rigorous recruiting and interview process and provide straightforward advice on how to land positions at energy investment banks. Food and drinks will be provided, and the meeting is open to all McCombs students. For more information about the event, check back to our blog the week of the event.


(11/3) UTES Lecture: “International Coal Markets: Coal, Climate, and China”

Thurs – Nov. 3, 5-6:30pm: UTES Lecture “International Coal Markets: Coal, Climate, and China”





10/27: UTES Lecture Series: "International Coal Markets: Coal, Climate, and China" 5-6:15pm


"International Coal Markets: Coal, Climate, and China"
by
Richard Morse
(Director, Coal and CCS Research, Program on Energy, Stanford) 

November 3rd, 5:15-6:15pm
WELCH HALL (WEL) 2.308

Open to all. Refreshments served at 5:00pm
Please settle in by 5:10pm

11/1 - Credit Suisse Investment Banking Information Session



Credit Suisse will be on campus Tuesday, November 1.  Please feel free to let all of your members know about the event.  This will be a great opportunity to learn more about careers in Investment Banking and to network with Credit Suisse professionals. 


One you - One Credit Suisse - One critical component
Credit Suisse
Please join us for the Credit Suisse Investment Banking Information Session on Tuesday, November 1st. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about careers in Investment Banking and to network with Credit Suisse professionals .
Time: 5:45 PM - 7:00 PM
Date: November 1, 2011
Location: AT&T Conference Center - Salon A & B
Dress Code: Business Casual
Audience: Juniors/Class of 2013

REMINDER: ConocoPhillips Spirit Scholarship 10/31


The deadline is fast-approaching for the ConocoPhillips Spirit Scholarship program here at UT-Austin!  You can access the application through the link provided below…this is a fantastic opportunity, and one I would encourage you to look into.

Again, the deadline is fast-approaching, so do not delay!

Scholarship Opportunity!             

The ConocoPhillips SPIRIT Scholars Program offers
a unique set of enrichment and professional opportunities for students interested in careers in the energy industry, plus
$5,000 in scholarship funds per year!

Engineering, Business, Geosciences and Computer Science
students are all eligible!

 


Download the Application Online: 


All applications are due October 31, 2011 

To apply you must have a minimum UT GPA of 3.25 and enjoy participating in leadership activities throughout the year.  Students admitted to the program are awarded $2,500 per semester, with the opportunity for continued participation and awards each semester leading to graduation. 

For more information, contact Alejandra Bernal, SPIRIT Scholars Coordinator, at

Monday, October 24, 2011

10/27: UTES Lecture Series: "Solving the Climate Problem at Scale" 5-6:15pm

The next presentation in the UT Energy Symposium's Lecture Series will be:


Solving the Climate Problem at Scale: An Environmentalist’s Perspective
by
Armond Cohen
(Executive Director, Clean Air Task Force)

27 October, 5:15-6:15pm
WELCH HALL (WEL) 2.308

Open to all. Refreshments served at 5:00pm
Please settle in by 5:10pm

Speaker Bio:
Armond is co-founder and Executive Director of the Clean Air Task Force (CATF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing atmospheric pollution and commercializing innovative clean energy technology.
Armond has co-led two studies of US energy innovation policy with the Center for Science, Policy and Outcomes, “Innovation Policy for Climate Change” (September 2009) and “Four Policy Principles for Energy Innovation and Climate Change: A Synthesis” (June 2010) and is lead author of "’NowGen’: Getting Real about Coal Carbon Capture and Sequestration” (The Electricity Journal, 2009).  He is an honors graduate of Harvard Law School and Brown University, and is a member of the US EPA Clean Air Act Advisory Committee, the Keystone Energy Board, the founding board of the Institute for Gas Drilling Excellence, and served on the Policy Subgroup of the recent National Petroleum Council 2011 study, “Prudent Development – Realizing the Potential of North America’s Abundant Natural Gas and Oil Resources.

10/25: Texas Energy Forum Hosts DrillingInfo, Discussion on Unconventional Risk, 6:30-7:30pm


TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25TH
THE TEXAS ENERGY FORUM PRESENTS:


Drillinginfo - Unconventional Risk

Financing the unconventional natural gas boom in the U.S.
A conversation with DI co-founder, Mark Nibbelink
Can operations thousands of feet underground be run with the control of a manufacturing process? If not, are the risks with which we evaluate related financing decisions understated?

Tuesday, 10/25
6:30PM - 7:30PM
UTC 4.344
Come early to get a spot!
Free Pizza and Drinks!


Check out Mark's blog posting about our meeting on his website here


These are questions YOU will need to understand as a member of the energy industry or investment community. Give yourself a head-start on your career by getting familiar with the technology and assumptions used by energy professionals.
Get valuable industry insight from Mark Nibbelink, a founder of Drillinginfo - one of the most widely used and trusted sources of information in the energy industry.
Drillinginfo is a key part of the value chain in the E&P industry:
  • 80% of U.S. Oil & Gas Production
  • 2900 Named Subscribers
  • 10,000+ Users

10/24 - LAC Speaker Series: James Mulva, CEO ConocoPhillips, 6-7PM SSW 2.2106


“Liberal Arts Council Speaker Series,” interview with James Mulva, chairman and CEO of ConocoPhillips.

Mon, October 24, 2011 • 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM • School of Social Work Building (SSW) Room 2.106.

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“Liberal Arts Council Speaker Series,” interview with James Mulva, chairman and CEO of ConocoPhillips.

When: Monday, Oct. 24, 6-7 p.m.

Where: The University of Texas at Austin, School of Social Work Building (SSW) Room 2.106.

Background: “Liberal Arts Council Speaker Series” brings The University of Texas at Austin’s most notable alumni back to the university so they may share their experiences from during and after their education.  These alumni provide valuable advice to students about how to use their education to the fullest in order to be successful.  The format of the event is an informal interview followed by a Q&A session at which time the audience may ask questions.

Speaker: James Mulva is one of the most distinguished and successful College of Liberal Arts alumnus, heading the third largest integrated oil company in the United States since 2002. He graduated from the university in 1968 with a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in business administration finance in 1969 where he was part of the Naval ROTC program. Mulva currently serves as a director for General Electric. He also is a member of The Business Council, as well as the Board of Visitors for the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Free and open to the public.
Liberal Arts Council:  P: 281-630-8667   http://UTLAC.com

Monday, October 17, 2011

10/20 UT Energy Symposium Lecture: International Mechanisms for Climate Change Finance

International Mechanisms for Climate Change Finance


Presented by Gevorg Sargsyan, Program Coordinator, Climate Investment Funds, World Bank



October 20th , 5:15-6:15pm

WELCH HALL (WEL) 2.308

Open to all. Refreshments served at 5:00pm
Please settle in by 5:10pm





On Thursday, October 20th, the UTES Lecture Series continues with a discussion led by Gevorg Sargsyan, on the topic of international policies and tools for financing some of the world's biggest climate change ideas. 



Speaker Bio:
Gevorg Sargsyan has been with the World Bank for 11 years, where he has led the Bank's energy work in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and South Asia.  Since 2010 Gevorg has led the Clean Investment Funds (Clean Technology Fund (CTF) and Scaling Up Renewable Energy Program (SREP)) at the World Bank, and is overseeing investment program of over $2 billion.

Gevorg has a MS in applied mathematics from the Yerevan State University.  He did his postgraduate study in Financial Economics at the Institute of Economy of Armenian National Academy of Science combined with research at the UC, Berkeley.

Next Talk:
27 October, “Solving the Climate Problem at Scale: An Environmentalist’s Perspective”
    Speaker: Armond Cohen, Executive Director, Clean Air Task Force

10/19 - EMIC's Natural Gas and Unconventional Hydrocarbons Conference 1-5PM

On Wednesday, October 19th, the McCombs Energy Management and Innovation Center (EMIC) will be hosting the Natural Gas Use in Texas and Unconventional Hydrocarbon Production Conference at the AT&T Center. The event will be from 1-5pm, and speakers from the University of Texas's various research groups and from companies such as JP Morgan's Natural Resources Investment Banking Division, Austin Energy, & El Paso.


Space is very limited, so if you are interested in attending, you need to register here. 




For more information on the event, you can check out the post on the TEF blog at this link.
Also, the EMIC also has additional information on the conference here.

10/18 - Net Impact hosts Pro Energy Consultants


The Texas Energy Forum is promoting Net Impact's next general meeting on Tuesday, October 18th.

Kirk Van Roekel, owner of Pro Energy Consultants based out of Austin, TX, will be speaking on his company's history and innovative practices. The meeting will be held in CBA 4.344 at 6:00pm-7:00pm and there will be free food!


For more information on ProEnergy Consultants, their website is here: http://www.proenergyconsultants.com/
For more information on Net Impact Undergrad at UT, their website is here: http://texasnetimpact.com/default.aspx



Thursday, October 13, 2011

Wednesday, Oct. 19th: Natural Gas & Unconventional Hydrocarbons Conference , hosted by the EMIC of McCombs


NATURAL GAS USE IN TEXAS AND UNCONVENTIONAL HYDROCARBON PRODUCTION

REGISTER NOW at this LINK: Register Here

Natural gas is a relatively abundant, domestic fuel that is clean at its end-use. If natural gas can be produced in a way that is compatible with society’s environmental objectives, and if the latest resource estimates are accurate, then natural gas represents an important part of the fuel mix. This one-day event discusses the feasibility of increased usage of natural gas in the power, transportation and residential sectors in place of more carbon-intensive fuels.



All events take place at the AT&T Center, 1900 University Avenue, Austin, Texas 78705
 1:00pm-1:30pm                  
NATURAL GAS IN POWER, TRANSPORTATION AND RESIDENTIAL SECTORSAmphitheater, Room 204Fred Beach,  Postdoctoral Fellow in the Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy and the Webber Energy Group
 1:30pm-1:45pm ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF INCREASED USE OF NATURAL GASAmphitheater, Room 204
Ramon Alvarez, Senior Scientist, Environmental Defense Fund
 1:45pm-2:00pm     
QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSIONAmphitheater, Room 204Michael Webber, Associate Director,
Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy

Break
 2:15pm-3:30pm
PANEL DISCUSSION WITH INDUSTRY EXPERTSAmphitheater, Room 204
Moderated by: Rebecca Klein, Chairman, Power Across Texas
Panel: Laura Huffman, Executive Director, The Nature Conservancy
Cheryl Mele, Chief Operating Officer, Austin Energy
Kyle Sawyer, Manager, El Paso Corporation
Ron Zboril, Natural Resources Investment Banking, JPMorgan

Break
 3:45pm-4:15pm 
THE FUTURE OF UNCONVENTIONAL HYDROCARBONSAmphitheater, Room 204
Chip Groat, Associate Director, The Energy Institute

Break
 4:30pm-5:00pm
CLOSING REMARKS Amphitheater, Room 204Rick Smead, Director, Navigant Consulting
5:00pmRECEPTIONInterior Courtyard
Hosted by: Cockrell School of Engineering's Webber Energy Group, McCombs School of Business' Energy Management and Innovation Center, and the Energy Institute