Discussion of national energy independence makes a good sound bite but falls short for scientist and university president Shirley Ann Jackson.
Until the entire world solves its energy problems, the U.S. won’t achieve its goal of security through energy self-sufficiency, said Jackson, president of Troy, N.Y.-based Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Jackson is expected to tell Colorado School of Mines students at today’s commencement ceremony that their discoveries and innovations will be a key to finding permanent sources of clean and reliable energy.
“We need to replenish our supply of scientists and engineers,” Jackson said in an interview Thursday, noting the retirement trend for American scientists who started their careers in the 1960s after the Soviet Union’s 1957 launch of Sputnik, the first man-made satellite to orbit Earth.
“Innovation for energy security is a natural for the Colorado School of Mines,” she said. “Much of what they do relates to the exploitation of our energy resources in as environmentally benign way as possible.”
About 300 students of the Golden engineering school will receive degrees at the commencement ceremony, which also will serve as the inauguration of new president Myles “Bill” Scoggins. He replaces John Trefny, who had served as president since 2000.
Developing solutions to global energy problems instead of focusing on U.S. energy independence will benefit the U.S. economically and help the nation prevent geopolitical conflict, Jackson said.
“Every country needs access to reliable, affordable energy,” she said. “Without it, you have people consigned to poverty who are much more easily steered to extremism and terrorism.”
Jackson, former chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said additional U.S. development of nuclear power and commercial production of Colorado’s oil shale will be important components of future energy needs.
“The technology exists for oil shale,” she said. “The real issue is, when does the price get to a point that it becomes viable?”
Staff writer Steve Raabe can be reached at 303-954-1948 or sraabe@denverpost.com.
