April 13, 202212:00 pm

ZOOM

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Hear from experts from the National Renewable Energy Lab about recent developments in geothermal energy in Alaska

Alaska has three listing geothermal active regions: the interior hot springs, the Southeast hot springs, and the “Ring of Fire” volcanoes, which include the Aleutians, the Alaska Peninsula, the Wrangell Mountains, and Mt. Edgecumbe on Kruzof Island. Since 2008, several potential geothermal resources have been explored across Alaska with no commercially viable resource found yet.  Join this discussion to hear from experts at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory on recent geothermal research findings.

  • When: Wednesday, April 13 @ 12:00PM
  • What: Free webinar style event to discuss geothermal opportunities in Alaska
  • Where: Zoom – Pre-registration required by clicking HERE

Caity Smith has over 15 years of experience in the geothermal industry.  She began her career focused on drilling and project management in the United States before transitioning to work in East Africa on capacity building and community engagement projects.  Caity joined the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in 2019 and manages multiple geothermal competitions and prizes for DOE’s Geothermal Technologies Office as well as leading stakeholder engagement and geothermal education and capacity building programs.  Caity is passionate about empowering women in the geothermal sector, and mentors young professionals through the U.S. Department of State’s Female Leaders in Energy (FLIE) program, as well as serving as the co-leader for Women in Geothermal’s (WING) Future Leaders Cohort.  Through these programs, Caity hopes to empower, encourage, and guide the career goals of young professionals in the geothermal industry to help them advance their careers.

Amanda Kolker is the laboratory program manager for Geothermal at NREL. She has more than 15 years of professional experience as a geothermal geologist, specializing in resource exploration and sustainable production of geothermal energy.

With a background in volcanology and geochemistry, Kolker has worked in academia, government, and private industry in the United States and abroad. She values multidisciplinary and innovative approaches to the energy question and enjoys working at the intersections of geoscience, policy, and economics.

Prior to her current role as laboratory program manager, Kolker joined NREL in 2019 as a research scientist, leading international research projects and consortia on exploration and resource assessment, innovative utilization of geothermal energy, energy resilience and equity, and other subjects. She serves as a thought leader in renewable energy strategy and integration efforts at NREL.

  • Mark your calendars for the remaining Speaker Series events: 
    • Wednesday, April 27, 12PM – Sustainable Southeast Partnership: Resilient peoples and places in Southeast Alaska (Register HERE).