Strengthening the energy future of Kansas and the Midwest

Kansas State University's Secure Energy Initiative, or SEI, will bring together industry leaders, faculty, community partners and other stakeholders for the Technical Interchange Meeting at the K-State Olathe campus.

The free, half-day workshop will run from noon to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2 and is designed to build collaboration around some of the most pressing challenges in the state and region: ensuring reliable, affordable and secure energy for communities, businesses and industries.

Faculty researchers, staff members, students, industry leaders and community stakeholders must register by Wednesday, Aug. 26, to attend. The event includes lunch, keynote talks from industry and energy leaders, a panel discussion and updates from SEI working groups.

K-State personnel can participate in a poster session but must register for attendance and abstract consideration by Thursday, Aug. 20. Presenting a poster is required to submit a Secure Energy Initiative funding application. Travel assistance and poster printing costs will be provided to presenters.

"Energy security requires collaboration across industry, government, communities and academia," said Amir Bahadori, professor and director of the nuclear engineering program and SEI director. "This meeting provides an opportunity to bring these varied perspectives together, identify shared priorities and begin developing solutions that will strengthen the affordability, accessibility, reliability and resilience of our energy systems."

Kansas and the region face growing energy demands and increasing grid complexity while also managing aging infrastructure, affordability concerns and interest from energy-intensive industries. Through its land-grant mission, multidisciplinary expertise and strategic focus on enabling technologies, K-State can help address these challenges and support long-term energy resilience.

The Technical Interchange Meeting will provide a forum for participants to share perspectives, identify opportunities and build support for initiatives that strengthen energy security, reliability and economic competitiveness across Kansas and beyond. Attendees can explore interdisciplinary research and outreach collaborations and discuss solutions to emerging energy challenges. The event also aims to position collaborative teams for future SEI funding opportunities and long-term impact.

Read more about the Technical Interchange Meeting on their website. More information about the Secure Energy Initiative is available at k-state.edu/secure-energy.

Questions related to poster presentations and SEI funding proposals may be directed to Amir Bahadori at bahadori@k-state.edu. For general event questions, contact Brooke Speake at kcprofdev@k-state.edu.

— Submitted by Jennifer Tidball