IAP 2017 Activities by Category: Energy, Environment, and Sustainability

[AT CAPACITY] Tour of MIT's Nuclear Research Reactor 1/25

Taylor Tracy, Administrative Assistant II

Jan/25	Wed	02:00PM-03:30PM	NW12 (first floor)

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/24
Limited to 15 participants
Prereq: None

The 1/25 IAP tour of MIT's Nuclear Research Reactor is currently at capacity and is no longer available to sign-up for.

Sponsor(s): Nuclear Reactor Lab
Contact: Taylor Tracy, NW12-108b, 617 253-4211, TTRACY@MIT.EDU

[AT CAPACITY] Tour of MIT's Nuclear Research Reactor 1/27

Taylor Tracy, Administrative Assistant II

Jan/27	Fri	10:00AM-11:30AM	NW12 (first floor)

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/26
Limited to 15 participants
Prereq: none

The 1/27 IAP tour of MIT's Nuclear Research Reactor is currently at capacity and is no longer available to sign-up for.

Sponsor(s): Nuclear Reactor Lab
Contact: Taylor Tracy, NW12-108b, 617-253-4211, TTRACY@MIT.EDU

[AT CAPACITY] Tour of MIT's Nuclear Research Reactor 1/31

Taylor Tracy, Administrative Assistant II

Jan/31	Tue	10:00AM-11:30AM	NW12 (first floor)

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/30
Limited to 15 participants
Prereq: none

The 1/31 IAP tour of MIT's Nuclear Research Reactor is currently at capacity and is no longer available to sign-up for.

Sponsor(s): Nuclear Reactor Lab
Contact: Taylor Tracy, NW12-108b, 617-253-4211, TTRACY@MIT.EDU

[AT CAPACITY] Tour of MIT's Nuclear Research Reactor 2/2

Taylor Tracy, Administrative Assistant II

Feb/02	Thu	02:00PM-03:30PM	NW12 (first floor)

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 02/01
Limited to 15 participants
Prereq: none

The 2/2 IAP tour of MIT's Nuclear Research Reactor is currently at capacity and is no longer available to sign-up for.

Sponsor(s): Nuclear Reactor Lab
Contact: Taylor Tracy, NW12-108b, 617 253-4211, TTRACY@MIT.EDU

Alcator C-Mod Tour

TBD, MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center

Jan/11	Wed	04:00PM-05:00PM	NW17-218

Enrollment: Limited: First come, first served (no advance sign-up)

Visit the Alcator C-Mod tokamak, a major fusion energy experiment that recently completed its final run with breakthrough results. Alcator C- Mod is the third in a series of tokamak devices at MIT that use very high magnetic fields to confine plasmas operating near 100,000,000 degrees.

Sponsor(s): Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Contact: Paul Rivenberg, NW16-284, 617 253-8101, RIVENBERG@PSFC.MIT.EDU

An Introduction to Nonimaging Optics

Thomas Cooper, Posdoctoral Fellow

Jan/23	Mon	01:00PM-04:00PM	1-246
Jan/27	Fri	01:00PM-04:00PM	1-246
Jan/30	Mon	01:00PM-04:00PM	1-246
Feb/03	Fri	01:00PM-04:00PM	1-246

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/13
Limited to 15 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Prereq: Please bring a laptop; knowledge of Solidworks is an asset

An Introduction to Nonimaging Optics

Build your own solar concentrator! In this short interactive course, the subject of nonimaging optics will be introduced, with a focus on its application to solar energy collection. The course will consist of four sessions, each comprising a one-hour lecture, followed by a two-hour hands-on tutorial session where participants will 3D print their own solar concentrator prototype! On the last session, the solar concentrators will be tested to reveal who achieved the best concentrator design!

ENROLL HERE: https://goo.gl/forms/rOZrMTEv27UEArO73

Session 1: Fundamentals of nonimaging optics

What is nonimaging optics?
Conservation of étendue
The edge-ray principle
Thermodynamics of solar concentration
PROJECT: Problem statement and preliminary optical design

Session 2: Solar concentrator design

Nonparabolic solar concentrators
Nonimaging secondary concentrators with imaging primaries
Design of secondaries: the CPC, CEC, trumpet, tailored edge-ray concentrator
Aplanatic optics
PROJECT: Preliminary optical design due

Session 3: Non-tracking solar concentrators

Maximum concentration for one- and two-axis trackers
Source/acceptance map matching
Maximum concentration for non-tracking solar concentrators
Design of non-tracking solar concentrators
PROJECT: Ray-tracing simulation; preparation of 3D printed prototype

Session 4: Performance assessment

Solar concentrator modeling and testing
PROJECT: Live testing of solar concentrator prototypes

Sponsor(s): Mechanical Engineering
Contact: Thomas Cooper, 7-006, 617 253-7488, COOPERT@MIT.EDU

Bicycle Mechanics

Lennon Rodgers, Research Scientist

Enrollment: Must be an MIT student.
Sign-up by 12/31
Limited to 25 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions

Description: Students will learn how to repair a bicycle from the basics of fixing a flat to more advanced topics such as wheel truing and crank removal. The instructors will be professional mechanics from local bike shops.

Dates/Times: January 9th, 10th and 11th from 1-4pm.

Location: All lessons will take place in the International Design Center (3rd floor of N52, 265 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge). Map here. Please follow the posted signs.

Enrollment Criteria: Must be an MIT student. Total enrollment is limited to 25 students.

Enrollment: To request enrollment, please fill out this form.

Lessons: Draft lessons are here.

Sponsor(s): MIT-SUTD International Design Center, MIT-SUTD Collaboration
Contact: Lennon Rodgers, design-ev@mit.edu

Bicycle Mechanics

Jan/09	Mon	01:00PM-04:00PM	N52-3rd floor (IDC)
Jan/10	Tue	01:00PM-04:00PM	N52-3rd floor (IDC)
Jan/11	Wed	01:00PM-04:00PM	N52-3rd floor (IDC)

Lennon Rodgers - Research Scientist

Climate Action Film Series

Tse Lang Yim, Kaylee Brent, Patrick Healy Moran

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions

Every Thursday over IAP, from 7:00-9:00pm, we will be watching a different climate-related film. In the third week, the executive producer of Age of Consequences, Sophie Robinson, will host a Q&A session after the film!

1/12/17 in room 32-123:Years of Living Dangerously (selected episodes)

1/19/17 in room 4-270: Before the Flood

1/26/17 in room 32-123: Age of Consequences

2/2/17 in room 4-270: How to Let Go of the World (and love all the things climate can't change)

Sponsor(s): Fossil Free MIT
Contact: Kaylee Brent, 360-852-6604, KBRENT@MIT.EDU

Climate Action Hands On: Harnessing Science with Communities to Cut Carbon

Dave Damm-Luhr, Rajesh Kasturirangan, Britta Voss, Patrick Brown

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/18
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions

Looking to put your skills into action to tackle climate change? Regardless of your field, this course will engage participants in the practical side of collecting data, using technical solutions to climate challenges and working with diverse community groups to accelerate progress.

Through in-class lectures and discussion, as well as a data collection field trip and a “maker”-style activity session in 10-150 at MIT , participants will get background about effective science-based community action and practice putting that knowledge into action themselves. The course will focus on approaches to applying scientific data and new technologies to climate-related research needs, community risks, and policy actions, with a particular emphasis on urban methane emissions.

Problem solvers of all backgrounds and experience levels are welcome! Just bring a passion for changing the world for the better and an eagerness to roll up your sleeves.

Register for the course at: http://bit.ly/climatex-iap17

Sponsor(s): Fossil Free MIT
Contact: Curt Newton, cjnewton@mit.edu

Overview of citizen science

Jan/18	Wed	01:00PM-03:30PM	4-153

Introduction to citizen/community science networks in operation, including PublicLab; future of community science and why climate science could benefit from a community approach.

Dave Damm-Luhr, Rajesh Kasturirangan, Britta Voss

Hackathon on methane leak visualization

Jan/23	Mon	09:00AM-01:00PM	10-150

Mini-hackathon on database building, app development, data collection equipment design/construction, data visualization, GIS data processing, animation/infographic design, and emissions modeling. Details on the history of natural gas infrastructure nationally and in Boston area, protocols for reporting and fixing leaks, methane monitoring methods, opportunities for community involvement.

Dave Damm-Luhr, Rajesh Kasturirangan, Nathan Phillips, Britta Voss

Sniffing out urban methane leaks

Jan/31	Tue	10:00AM-02:00PM	Location TBD

Hands-on activity collecting data on real-word methane leaks from natural gas infrastructure across Cambridge.

Dave Damm-Luhr, Rajesh Kasturirangan, Britta Voss, Nathan Phillips

Putting citizen-collected data to use

Feb/01	Wed	01:00PM-03:30PM	4-153

Debrief data collection on methane gas leaks and understand the value, uses and cautions of citizen-collected data. Discuss problems of field data collection and implications and explore the policy questions for which citizen science data can be used, including the history and record of results of environmental law in practice, science as evidence in legal battles, and leveraging media attention.

Dave Damm-Luhr, Rajesh Kasturirangan, Britta Voss, Nathan Phillips, Chris Nidel

Climate Science and Policy, now more than ever!

Christoph Tries

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: These sessions are not for credit

The MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change provides a fast-paced , accessible introduction to the climate system, linking the social and scientific aspects of Climate change. These sessions aim to contextualize current global and local climate policy and provide an introduction to current research in climate.

Our opening session on Monday, January 30, will be about the fundamentals of climate science, followed by a discussion that will help understand both domestic and international environmental policies in practice. The second day, we will examine how the climate system responds to both natural and human-caused forcings, and how scientists can detect and attribute observed changes in the climate system to human activity, followed by a discussion about what the influence of the United States has been in shaping global climate policy. Finally, on Thursday participants will interact in a mock of international climate negotiation and examine the outcomes in real-time.

REGISTRATION : Click here to register.
NOTE: although advance registration is not required, we encourage you to register to as many sessions as you can as they are all related. Registration will also help us get the right head count for refreshments for each session.

LINK TO ABSTRACTS: Read
(This link takes you to the long versions of abstracts)

Sponsor(s): Joint Program/Science and Policy of Global Change
Contact: Dimonika Bray, E19-411R, 617 324-7375, DBIZI@MIT.EDU

Climate Science 101:

Jan/30	Mon	05:00PM-06:00PM	Bldg E51-325

Climate 101: Fundamentals of Climate Science

This lecture will begin with the history of climate science and will provide a broad overview of the physics of the climate system. The goal is to allow participants to develop a broad understanding of Earth 's climate system and understand the basic tools of climate science.

Justin Bandoro - Master's Student, School Of Science

Introduction to Economics and Policy

Jan/30	Mon	06:00PM-07:00PM	Bldg E51-325

Introduction to Economics and Policy of Climate Change: How Will You Design a Climate Policy?

If you are a designer for climate policy, what do you think is important and how will you design a good policy? This session will introduce basic concepts in environmental economics and environmental policy. We will examine the policy options and guide the audience to think about what is important in the process.

Minghao Qiu - Master's Student

Climate Science 102

Jan/31	Tue	05:00PM-06:00PM	E51-325

Climate Science 102: The Global Climate System and Climate Modeling

This lecture will build on 101 and dive into an overview of how the climate system responds to both natural and human-caused forcings, and how scientists can detect and attribute observed changes in the climate system to human activity.

Justin Bandoro - Master's Student, School Of Science

International Climate Governance

Jan/31	Tue	06:00PM-07:00PM	E51-325

International Climate Governance and the Role of the United States

First part: What is the history and institutional basis of this process of international climate governance?
Second part: What has the role of the United States been in shaping global climate policy? What are the achievements and failures of US climate policy? And most importantly, what can we expect post 2016 elections?

Arun Singh - Master's Student, TPP, Michael Davidson - PhD Student, JP - ESD

Can carbon pricing solve climate change

Feb/01	Wed	05:00PM-06:00PM	E25-111

Can carbon pricing solve climate change: Lessons from climate policy efforts around the world

Why politicians and economists are diametrically opposed on the idea of carbon price, and why Secretary Hillary Clinton 's platform didn't feature a carbon price. The talk will draw on real world experience with carbon pricing to derive lessons about its potential to mitigate climate change.

Emil Dimantchev - Master's Student, JP - TPP - ESD

Embracing Uncertainty

Feb/01	Wed	06:00PM-07:00PM	E25-111

Embracing Uncertainty: How our society deals with not knowing and what we can do to prepare for climate change

We will look at the substantial role which uncertainty plays in our economy, politics and science. We will close out with some suggestions how to adequately adapt to climate change and how to communicate uncertainty issues to the public, and then open for a discussion with the audience.

Christoph Tries

Interactive Group Project

Feb/02	Thu	04:00PM-07:00PM	E51-325

World Climate Negotiations Simulation

Participant groups will represent regions of the world with various goals for mitigation, adaptation, and economic growth, then participate in a mock international climate negotiation. The computer simulation C-ROADS will be used to examine the outcomes of the mock negotiation in real-time.

Christoph Tries

Energy Policy in the context of Climate Change: the case of Mexico

Dr. Lourdes Melgar, CIS Wilhelm Fellow, former Deputy Secretary of Energy of Mexico

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions

How does a country reconcile the search for energy security with a commitment to mitigate climate change? What dilemmas do policymakers face in an oil producing country committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions? Can the energy sector be decarbonized without hurting the economy? How does a government rally support for deployment of energy projects in indigenous communities? How do you ensure that oil revenues are well invested? Why is having a clean energy secure Mexico good for No. America?

In 2013, Mexico approved all-encompassing energy reform at the Constitutional level, simultaneously modernizing the hydrocarbons and electricity sectors following international best practices. Having earlier approved a Climate Change Law (2012), Mexico’s Energy Reform includes elements to promote clean energies and reduce GHG emissions.

Dr. Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, states that “[t]his is not a reform, it's a revolution on an unprecedented scale.” In addition to its depth, Mexico’s energy reform is being implemented in record time. The sense of urgency comes from the need to fuel the country, comply with climate change commitments & boost the competitiveness of the economy.

This seminar, led by a major player in the design and implementation of this historic energy reform, aims at understanding the challenges and dilemmas policymakers face in designing a modern energy sector. Mexico’s Energy Reform will serve as reference for the discussion.

Sponsor(s): Center for International Studies, MIT Mexico Program
Contact: Laurie Scheffler, LAURIES@MIT.EDU