The University of Kentucky is pleased to announce that Dr. Douglas Wicks, a leading expert in energy and mining and a Program Director at the Department of Energy's (DoE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), will visit a number of research facilities and give a seminar on March 29, 2023, on the main campus. Dr. Wicks’ talk will be titled "Catalyzing the Renaissance of American Mining to Enable the Energy Transition" and will be held in the Mining and Minerals Research Building (MMRB) Room 102 from 3 to 4 PM. The seminar is open to the UK community and the public.

Dr. Wicks' talk will address the challenges and opportunities of climate change and the clean energy transition. His presentation will discuss the critical role of mining and mineral resources in enabling the transition to clean energy technologies, such as solar panels and electric vehicles. Dr. Wicks will put forth ideas and concepts to stimulate discussion about how mines of the future could address environmental and social needs while supplying the transition.

Dr. Wicks will propose ideas on how to adapt mining to be a carbon-negative solution to the metals industry's emissions issues, unleash the potential of geologic hydrogen, access deep deposits with little to no disturbance to the environment, and reshape mineral processing to valorize everything dug out of the ground. Additionally, he will discuss how fostering new ideas and approaches can create a new generation of technology startups and leaders needed to tackle this opportunity.

You can join the seminar remotely and/or register for a discussion with Dr. Wicks using the following links.

Join virtually via Zoom

Register for discussion with Dr. Wicks

ARPA-E's mission is to advance cutting-edge energy technologies that can help reduce carbon emissions, increase energy efficiency, and enhance the resilience and security of energy systems. By supporting innovative research and development, ARPA-E plays a critical role in accelerating the transition to a more sustainable energy future. ARPA-E funds projects in various technology areas, including renewable energy, energy storage, transportation, building efficiency, and carbon capture and utilization.

The seminar is expected to attract a diverse audience of students, faculty, researchers, and industry professionals interested in energy and mining. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with Dr. Wicks and discuss how to unleash the potential of the minerals beneath our feet to tackle climate change.

The seminar promises to be a thought-provoking event that will provide valuable insights into the future of American mining and its crucial role in enabling the energy transition. UK community members and the public are encouraged to attend and participate in this discussion on how to unleash the potential of the minerals beneath our feet to tackle climate change.

The abstract of Dr. Wicks’ talk with more information about his background is available on the seminar’s flyer.

In recent years, mining has increasingly become a cross-disciplinary field, involving expertise from various areas beyond traditional mining disciplines such as geology and engineering. The interdisciplinary nature of modern mining is driving innovation and collaboration across sectors, and creating new opportunities for individuals with diverse backgrounds to contribute to the industry.