DOE administrator to deliver 2016 Pioneers in Energy Lecture

David Mohler  Download Photo

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The deputy assistant secretary for clean coal and carbon management within the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy this month will discuss the difficulties encountered during the research of fossil-based energy at Purdue University's spring 2016 Pioneers in Energy Lecture.

DOE official David Mohler will deliver the lecture, "Fossil Energy: R&D Challenges and Opportunities," at 10:30 a.m. April 28 in Discovery Park's Hall for Discovery and Learning Research Center, Room 143A&B. The talk, sponsored by the Purdue Energy Center, is free and open to the public.

Mohler, who joined the DOE in March 2015 after nearly a decade with Duke Energy Corp., leads a team working on how to utilize coal in ways that will protect air, water and climate quality. The DOE team is focused on three basic areas: advanced combustion technologies, carbon capture, and carbon utilization and sequestration.

He also is responsible for the DOE's research and development program in advanced fossil energy systems, large demonstration projects, carbon capture, utilization, and storage and clean-coal technology deployment.

Mohler had been Duke's chief technology officer since 2006, when he joined the Charlotte-based power company from Cinergy Corp., which Duke purchased that year. He has extensive operational experience in nuclear and fossil fuel generation.

He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Indiana University, a bachelor of science degree from the University of the State of New York at Albany, a master of arts degree from Xavier University and a master of science degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

"Mr. Mohler also will meet several faculty groups to discuss Purdue's cutting-edge research in clean coal/power, biomass co-firing and rare earth elements (REEs)," said Pankaj Sharma, managing director of the Purdue Energy Center. "The goal is to improve plant efficiencies and development of an economically competitive domestic supply of REEs."

Led by Discovery Park's Energy Center, the Pioneers in Energy Lecture is designed to increase the understanding of specific energy challenges and to promote interactions with prominent scientists for building a stronger, interdisciplinary-driven Purdue energy research community across colleges and departments.

Through the Pioneers in Energy Lecture Series, Purdue has hosted speakers such as the late Nobel Laureate Richard E. Smalley, who won the 1996 Nobel Prize in chemistry; Salomon Levy, National Academy of Engineering member and president of S. Levy and Associates Inc.; and Lawrence L. Kazmerski, NAE member and director of the National Center for Photovoltaics at the DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 

Writers: Emily Sigg, 765-494-4719, esigg@purdue.edu

Phillip Fiorini, 765-496-3133, pfiorini@purdue.edu 

Source: Pankaj Sharma, 765-496-7452, sharma@purdue.edu