Secretary of Energy Chris Wright ’85 visits MIT

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright ’85 visited the MIT campus on Sept. 29. Wright earned a BS in mechanical engineering and spent two and a half years pursuing graduate studies in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science before leaving to become an entrepreneur in the energy industry. Credit: Jodi Hilton

On Monday, September 29, MIT welcomed U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright ’85 to campus with a forum discussing energy innovation, poster presentations from researchers supported through the new MIT-GE Vernova Energy and Climate Alliance, and tours of multiple Institute research centers.

During her opening remarks at the campus forum, MIT President Sally Kornbluth highlighted the MIT Energy Initiative’s (MITEI) role in MIT’s energy landscape for nearly 20 years. The forum also included a fireside chat with MIT Professor Ernest Moniz, who was the 13^th U.S. Secretary of Energy and MITEI’s founding director. A panel discussion featured business leaders connected to MITEI and the Institute, including Carlos Araque ’01, SM ’02, CEO of Quaise Energy, and Bob Mumgaard, CM ’15, PhD ’15, CEO of Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS). The research that led to Quaise’s geothermal technology was originally supported by the MITEI Seed Fund. MITEI member Eni S.p.A. is an investor in CFS.

Roger Martella, chief corporate officer, chief sustainability officer, and head of government affairs at GE Vernova, also gave remarks at the forum. In March, a new five-year joint program, the MIT-GE Vernova Energy and Climate Alliance, was announced by MIT and GE Vernova. In addition to this new venture, GE Vernova joined MITEI as a member and Roger Martella will serve on MITEI’s External Advisory Board.

After the forum, Wright toured several research centers on campus, including the MIT.nano facility, guided by Vladimir Bulović, the faculty director of MIT.nano and Fariborz Maseeh Chair in Emerging Technology, as well as a MITEI faculty affiliate.

MITEI Director William H. Green, who attended the forum along with several members of MITEI’s leadership team, said, “The MIT Energy Initiative is answering the Secretary’s call for continued energy innovation. MITEI has driven technological and scientific innovation in energy at MIT for nearly 20 years. We are proud to fund the education of energy leaders of the future and MIT research to make energy more secure, reliable, accessible, affordable, and clean.”

Read more about Secretary Wright’s visit via MIT News.

Press inquiries: miteimedia@mit.edu