ASME issues a "Grand Challenge"

As a leader in the energy field, ASME — and its members — has a unique opportunity to provide the public with credible expertise on the important energy issues facing our nation. Thus, a new ASME initiative called the Energy Grand Challenge will build partnerships and identify resources inside and outside the Society to help define technology, policy, and market issues and help define a more sustainable overall energy system.

The Energy Grand Challenge Web site will serve as a clearinghouse for the Energy Grand Challenge partners and activities. This site will host information on ASME's public policy activities, energy-related programs of ASME divisions and institutes, and news and announcements.

The Web site will also feature videos from the Society's Energy Grand Challenge congressional briefing series, which is focused on providing international perspectives on successful energy technologies. ASME invited experts from France and the United Kingdom to brief congressional staff on nuclear power and ocean power during the two sessions. The briefings were held in May in conjunction with the House Congressional Research and Development Caucus, which is co-chaired by Reps. Rush Holt, D-N.J., and Judy Biggert, R-Ill.

Initiatives such as the Energy Grand Challenge and the congressional briefings are of critical importance, said ASME Past President Terry Shoup. "ASME sees the need for government, business, and universities to partner together and find solutions to the major energy challenges facing our nation. We must move toward a balanced mix of energy sources that make it possible for global economic development without environmental degradation."

Each of the videotaped congressional briefings is available in streaming video format on ASME.ORG, as well as on the new Energy Grand Challenge Web site (www.asme.org/Communities/Technical/Energy).

To view the briefing on "Next Generation Nuclear Power: An International Perspective," go to www.asme.org/Communities/Technical/Energy/
Public_Policy.cfm. The second briefing, "Harvesting Ocean Power," will be available at this location shortly.

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