How have the politics of climate change shifted during the past year? What is the current status of carbon sequestration technology? How could energy concerns affect regional and global security strategies? What are the critical business considerations involving solar energy? And how can MIT’s “culture of entrepreneurship” be replicated elsewhere, in the energy sector? These were just a few of the questions addressed March 1-5, 2010 during a visit to MIT by 20 students in MIT-Portugal’s year-long Sustainable Energy Systems (SES) Advanced Studies course. It was the second year in which the students in this group – each of whom is a mid-career professional – had an opportunity to engage in in-depth examinations of these and related issues with experts from the MIT faculty and from local industry, as well as with MIT students and MIT-Portugal students who are currently doing research at MIT.  Working on a problem-solving exercise (photo: Alexandra Mulcahy) The Advanced Studies course – which is offered at the Technical University of Lisbon and the University of Porto, and which emphasizes energy systems and economics, as well as leadership and entrepreneurship – focuses on the policies and technologies required in the design and implementation of alternative energy strategies. Exposure to Wide-Ranging Expertise Following an introduction from Profs. Daniel Roos (MIT-Portugal Director at MIT) and David Marks (Co-director, Sustainable Energy Systems), the week’s intensive schedule included talks by MIT and MIT Sloan School of Management Profs. Mort Webster (climate change), Prof. Howard Herzog (carbon capture and storage), Sarah Slaughter (sustainable business), James Utterback (design-inspired innovation), Randolph Kirchain (environmentally informed technology decisions), Joshua Linn (business aspects of solar energy), John Heywood (reducing petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in transportation), Kenneth Oye (energy security and environment), and William Aulet (entrepreneurship). The group also heard talks from business strategist Partha Ghosh and Dan Livengood, an MIT PhD candidate who has participated in numerous MIT-Portugal projects and workshops. Livengood is working with MIT Prof. Richard Larson on the “Energy Box” – essentially, software aimed at providing homeowners a means of monitoring and adjusting their electricity use, and becoming more active and knowledgeable energy consumers. Alex Raventós was among the visiting SES Advanced Studies students who appreciated the MIT immersion experience. "I had high expectations, but I am especially surprised by the dynamism of the MIT faculty. They certainly have the ability to innovate, but also to communicate and inspire.” Another student, Christian Pires, noted “the holistic, systems approach to problems shown by the speakers, and the entrepreneurial spirit present everywhere on the campus.” Focus on Entrepreneurship and Negotiation Skills The visit included a hands-on workshop on negotiation skills led by Tina Rosan, former Sustainable Energy Systems Education Coordinator (now a Geography professor at Temple University), and two site tours. The group visited Boston-based EnerNOC to learn about the company's demand response and other energy efficiency services; and it toured a Genzyme Corporation plant in Cambridge that has received praise for its “green building” design and construction. The SES students also attended workshops held by the MIT Energy Club, as well as a poster session at the MIT Energy Conference that included a contribution on the MIT-Portugal Green Islands project by Edward (Ned) Spang, the current SES Education Coordinator and the Green Islands Project Coordinator, as well as a poster on the utility of MOBI.E, Portugal’s electric mobility model, by SES Advanced Studies student Nelson Teodoro. The group also visited the MIT Entrepreneur’s Club. The week’s activities were organized by the Sustainable Energy Systems faculty leads, as well as by Renee Robins, MIT-Portugal’s Director of Program Integration, and Ned Spang. (Slideshow of images from the week’s activities; photos by Alexandra Mulcahy).
(An essay by António Vidigal, CEO of EDP Inovação, an MIT-Portugal Industry Affiliate, appeared in the Diário Económico newspaper on March 11, 2010. It focuses on the MIT Energy Conference (mentioned in the story above), and the importance of student-led organizations as engines of entrepreneurship at universities.) | 
