Current BERC Events
Please see the Events Calendar for a complete listing of BERC events as well as other events of interest to our members, and our Recommended Events page for select descriptions. View our online album for additional events pictures.
Contact our Events VPs if you are interested in planning, hosting, or volunteering at a future event!
Energy Dashboard Reception
Wed. Dec. 16, 2009 | 7-9pm | Wurster Hall 1st Floor Lobby
Come join students, staff and faculty as we celebrate the first building energy dashboard installation on Berkeley's campus! This permanent installation will allow Wurster students to monitor and measure their environmental impact through real-time energy monitoring in the lobby of the building. This is an important step forward for the Berkeley campus, as we work to build awareness about energy use on campus and help to make buildings more energy efficient. So come try out the new dashboard, and enjoy food and drinks with BERC members and the College of Envrionmental Design (CED) community!
Please RSVP here!
Lunch with Tom McKone: "Hidden Costs of Energy"
Tue. Dec. 1, 2009 | 12-1:30 pm | Haas School of Business (RSVP for exact location)
BERC is pleased to offer the opportunity to have lunch with Prof. Tom McKone, co-author of the recent National Academy of Sciences report, "Hidden Costs of Energy: Unpriced Consequences of Energy Production and Use."
Prof. McKone is a Senior Staff Scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, as well as Adjunct Professor at the Berkeley School of Public Health. Read more about his background here.
This lunch will focus on discussion of the October 2009 "Hidden Costs of Energy" report, which estimated the costs associated with energy production and use that are not currently reflected in market prices. Examples of these costs include air pollution and damage to human health. The report was requested by Congress, and examined data from 2005 as well as scenarios for 2030. The authors estimated that external energy costs amounted to $120 billion in the US alone in 2005, not including valuation of climate change, harm to ecosystems, or risks to national security. A helpful summary of the report, and link to the full text, are here.
Lunch will be provided. Space is limited to ~15 participants.
Participants are asked to review the report before the lunch.
Please RSVP to zoe.chafe@berkeley.edu to reserve a space.
33% by 2020?: REgulatory Barriers to Renewable Development in California - Alumni Event in San Francisco
Nov. 19, 2009 | 6-8 pm | Offices of Bingham McCutchen LLP, Three Embarcadero Center - 28th Floor, San Francisco
Steven Weissman, Associate Director of Berkeley Law's Center for Law, Energy, and the Environment, moderated a discussion featuring Bill Chamberlain (Boalt ’71), Chief Counsel of the California Energy Commission, Barbara Schussman (Boalt ’89), Partner at Bingham McCutchen, and Ken Alex, Senior Assistant Attorney General of California.
See Bill Chamberlain's presentation.
The event was co-sponsored by the Boalt Hall Alumni Association, the Center for Law, Energy and the Environment at Berkeley Law, and Bingham McCutchen LLP.
Merrian Fuller, LBNL: Recovery Through Retrofit and Property-Assessed CLean Energy (PACE)
Nov 18, 2009 | 1 - 2 p.m. | 250 Goldman School of Public Policy
Merrian Fuller is a staff member at the Lawrence Berkeley National Labs working for the DoE on the financial technical assistance team around energy efficiency projects. She provided an overview of the activities in the federal government on the Recovery Through Retrofit program, and also spoke about PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) solar and efficiency funding. Merrian is a graduate of the Haas Business School and the Energy and Resources Group (ERG) at UC Berkeley.
View the powerpoint presentation!
BERC MEMBERSHIP MIXER
Nov. 12, 2009 | 6-8pm | Thalassa, 2367 Shattuck
We had a fantastic turn-out ofr this all-membership BERC happy hour event. Students from all over campus, alumni, and industry members joined us for great conversation, pool, food, drinks and a chance to meet the next round of BERC leaders.
BERC@Haas Alumni MIXER
Nov. 10, 2009 | 6-8pm | Gordon Biersh, San Francisco
BERC@Haas hosted a mixer for Haas students and alumni in energy in cleantech, held at Gordon Biersch restaurant in downtown San Francisco. The event included more than 80 current MBA students and alumni, and over 25 traditional energy and emerging cleantech companies were represented.
BERC@boalt Lawyer-Student Social
Nov. 4, 2009 | 6:30-8pm | Beckett's, 2271 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley
All current law students and lawyers practicing in the fields of energy, resources, climate change and clean technology are invited to join us for this popular biannual event. Please direct questions and RSVP to Jared Fish at jared.fish@berkeley.edu.
BERC/ Global Clean Tech Open IDEAS Competition
Workshop & Mixer - Oct. 22, 2009 | 6-8pm | UC Energy Institute, 2547 Channing Way, Berkeley
Submit online - Oct. 26, 2009 | 11:59pm Deadline | Online here.
Pitch Session - Oct. 27, 2009 | 5:30-7pm | Goldberg Room, UC Berkeley School of Law
Pitch your clean tech idea and win a chance for Global recognition plus $100,000 in cash and services to turn your idea into reality! The Pitch Session is open to the public, so join us on Tuesday Oct. 27 to support your classmates and hear the best and brightest cleantech ideas from Berkeley.
BERC is a US regional partner in the Global Clean Tech Open Ideas Competition. Read more about the competititon here, but be sure to register with BERC to be included in our regional event. Winners from the BERC region will move on to the Global Compettion on Nov 17 in San Francisco.
Enter today! We look forward to having a crowd of clean tech innovators at the Pitch Session on Tuesday!
Questions, comments, concerns? Email Clean Tech Ideas competition co-organizer, Brian Payer
Timeline:
- Open until Oct 26: Register Now by clicking here.Prepare one paragraph and a 60 second verbal pitch describing: theidea, the problem being solved, the market, the benefits to theenvironment and why your idea is a winner.
- Thurs. Oct. 22 - Ideas Workshop and Mixer (6 - 8pm, UC Energy Institute, 2547 Channing Way at Bodwitch) - Attend the event to brainstorm new ideas and workshop existing ideas. Need inspiration? Click here to browse clean tech categories and over 100 examples of problems that need solutions!
- Mon. Oct. 26 - 11:59pm - Deadline to enter the competition (online at http://bit.ly/2SDCwg)
- Tue. Oct. 27 - Contestants will deliver verbal pitches to Judges (5:30 - 7pm, Goldberg Room, Law School)
- Tue. Nov. 17 - Winner will represent our region as a Global Ideas finalist at the annual Cleantech Open Awards Gala in San Francisco
Register today! Details on uploading your entry will be emailed to you once you complete this initial registration.
Questions, comments, concerns? Email Clean Tech Ideas competition co-organizer, Brian Payer: brian.payer@gmail.com
BERC MIXER
Oct. 8, 2009 | 7-9 pm | Manny's Tap Room (formerly Raleigh's), 2438 Telegraph
New and old BERC members came out for a casual mixer, and enjoyed drinks and appetizers on BERC.
Screening of "the Age of Stupid" and MIXER
Oct. 8, 2009 | 5:30-7pm | Haas School of Business
BERC presented a free screening of "Age of Stupid," a new powerful "docudrama" set in the year 2055, after global warming has done massive damage to humanity. Oscar-nominated actor Pete Postlethwaite stars as a historian who "looks back" on real footage from 2008 to try to answer the question, "Why didn't we stop climate change while we had the chance?" The film premiered in over 60 countries on Sept 21, making it one of the most extensive movie releases in history.
Watch the trailer. Visit the "Age of Stupid" website.
Read reviews from the New York Times and Wired.
"Battling the Sea Level Rise” - Climate Adaptation Plans in California & Lessons for Developing World Cities
Oct. 3, 2009 | 9:30a.m.-12pm | Goldberg Room, UC Berkeley School of Law
BERC teamed up with Gensler and the Urban Vision to discuss how California's progress on climate adaptation can provide a guide around the globe.
Context:
Most debates on Climate change are often focused on Mitigation and very little attention has been given to adapting to climate change. The ongoing California Climate Adaptation Strategy Draft is among the first example of a tactical plan for action by a government agency to adapt to extreme climate events and sea-level rise.
This issue is of great importance in developing world cities which are often characterized by extreme poverty; and these poor communities will be most vulnerable to any potential extreme climate events. The forum will explore strategies that address the impact of sea level rise and extreme climate events.
Speakers:
- Prathima Manohar - The Urban Vision
- Matthew Heberger - Pacific Institute & Co-author of the report on sea level rise in California
- Will Travis - Executive Director, Bay Conservation and Development Commission ( BCDC)
- Michel St Pierre - Director of Planning, Gensler
- Maria-Paz Gutierrez - Assisant Profesosr, College of Environmental Design, UC Berkeley
Download the complete event program here.
"Energy In the News" Monthly Dinner
Oct. 1, 2009 | 6:00pm-8:00pm | Le Petit Cheval, Berkeley [Registration Required]
Steve Weissman, Associate Director of the Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE) at Berkeley Law, moderated the 3rd installment of this popular event. Stay tuned for the next one in November!
Check out CLEE's Environmental Law and Policy Blog - Legal Planet!
Science at the Theatre - Hope or Hype? What's nExt for Biofuels?
Sept. 28, 2009 | 7-8:30pm | Berkeley Repertory Theater (Roda Stage), 2015 Addison St, Berkeley
From the sun to your gas tank:Can a new breed of biofuels help solve the global energy challenge and reduce the impact of fossil fuels on global warming? A diverse audience filled the Berkeley Rep to hear three Berkeley Lab experts --Jay Keasling, Jim Bristow and Susannah Green Tringe -- together with moderator John Fowler, KTVU health and science editor, discuss how fast science is moving from genomes to "grassoline."
More information on the event available from LBNL.
STUDENT OUtreach Event at LBNL's Environmental energy Technologies Division (EETD)
Sept. 18, 2009 | 4:30-6:30pm | LBNL Cafeteria Complex
Dozens of students headed up the hill to the LBNL complex to hear 11 EETD researchers present about their work and opportunites for student research positions.
Check out the presentation and the event program.
Berkeley Energy and Resources Forum
Sept. 16, 2009 | 5:00pm-7:00pm | Wells Fargo Room, Haas School of Business
At the sold-out Forum, faculty from many different departments, research centers and labs introduced students, alumni and community members to a wide array of energy and resources research happening across campus.
See the video recording of the event (requires RealPlayer)!
Speakers included:
- Energy Institute at Haas - Catherine Wolfram
- Renewable & Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) - Dan Kammen
- Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) - Paul Wright
- Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) - Caroline Taylor
- Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) - Blake Simmons
- Energy & Resources Group (ERG) - Dan Farber
- Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE, at the School of Law) - Steven Weissman
- Goldman School of Public Policy - Michael O'Hare
- Agricultural Resource Economics (ARE) - Larry Karp
- Center for the Built Environment (CBE) - David Lehrer
- Environmental Science Policy & Management (ESPM) - Alastair Iles
An Innovation Agenda for Portugal, the Eu, and the World
Sept. 15, 2009 | 4:00pm-5:00pm | 110 Barrows Hall, UC Berkeley
Under the leadership of former former Minister of Economy and Innovation Manuel Pinho, Portugal became one of the world leaders in renewable energy development and mobility. To a full audience of students and professors, Minister Pinho discussed the future of energy and innovation, and suggested that Portugal's success story can provide a message of hope for the rest of the world.
"Energy In the News" Monthly Dinner
Sept. 8, 2009 | 6:00pm-8:00pm | Le Petit Cheval, Berkeley
Steve Weissman, Associate Director of the Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE) at Berkeley Law, moderated the 2nd installment of this popular event. Participants from a wide variety of disciplines shared news stories and engaged in lively discussion and debate.
Check out CLEE's Environmental Law and Policy Blog - Legal Planet!
BERC General MemBERSHIP Meeting
Sept. 2, 2009 | 12:30pm-2:00pm | Booth Auditorium, Boalt Hall (School of Law)
BERC ALUMNI EVENT: A DISCUSSION OF U.S. CAP & TRADE with HAAS PROFESSOR SEVERIN BORENSTEIN
Aug. 31, 2009 | 6:00pm-8:00pm | The University Club, 800 Powell St., San Francisco
In conjunction with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP and Chevron, BERC sponsored this evening event in downtown San Francisco for Cal alumni working in energy & resources. The sold-out event featured Haas Professor and UC Energy Institute Director Severin Borenstein speaking on "Short-term and Long-term Impacts of a U.S. Cap & Trade Program," and concluded in a lively discussion and subsequent reception.
See more pictures from the event!
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"Energy in the News" Dinner
July 22, 2009 | 6:00pm-8:00pm | Sultan Restaurant, 340 O'Farrell Street, San Francisco
Steve Weissman, Associate Director of the Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE) at Berkeley Law, moderated a vibrant discussion of recent news events dealing with energy. The mix of participants was varied and the topics discussed wide-ranging. The only downside was too little time to talk about too many interesting things happening! Keep your eyes open for more Energy in the News events in the fall, as we plan to make this a regular BERC offering.
Check out CLEE's Environmental Law and Policy Blog - Legal Planet!
San Francisco Happy Hour
July 8, 2009 | 5:30pm-8:30pm | Schroeder's, 240 Front Street, San Francisco
A vibrant mix of students, alumni and other professionals filled the back room of Schroeder’s to chat about the exciting world of energy and resources. This even proved again that BERC happy hours are a great opportunity for those working in and interested in the space to catch up and learn what students are doing for summer internships and research projects, and what alumni are up to in energy & resource related careers.
