Art Ventures Gallery’s series on Stanford’s Climate-Energy Investment kicks off with artist Michael Killen

Dr. Katharina Powers has announced the Art Ventures Gallery Speaker Series: Stanford’s Climate-Energy Investment In Perspective: Art, Politics, and Science.

This nine-day art and speaker series helps the general public, climate action now and clean energy advocates, along with  investors, to deepen their understanding of Stanford’s half-billion dollar energy-solution investment.

It enables attendees to see how the investment helps the university attain its energy sustainability goals and also how it now serves as a model for other California organizations help the state reach Goal #3 of the state climate plan. That goal is Double Energy Efficiency Savings at Existing Buildings.

Michael Killen, talk show host and artist, starts the series by sharing why and how he painted “Stanford’s Climate and Energy Solution” (6ft x 15ft). He will discuss the challenges he faced helping viewers “see” what Stanford has accomplished.

“Artists do not usually paint important developments,” commented Dr. Powers.

Invited speakers include Jim Sweeney, Professor, and Producer of Stanford University’s annual Silicon Valley Energy Summit; and Steve Westly, Venture Capitalist and Political Advocate.

Speaker schedule:

• Feb. 16, 5:00 pm – Opening reception featuring Michael Killen, artist & talk show host
• Feb. 18, 6:30 pm TBD
• Feb 19, 6:30 pm – Jan van der Lee, Ph.D., VP R&D, EDF Inc. (Electricity of France)
• Feb 20, 6:30 pm – Joe Stagner, Executive Director, Sustainability & EnergyManagement, Stanford University
• Feb 21, 6:30 pm – Alex Cannara, Ph.D., Nuclear Energy & Ocean Change Advocate
• Feb. 22 6:30 pm – Ripudaman Malhotra, Fellow: American Chemical Society & Co-author: A Cubic Mile of Oil
• Feb. 23 5:00 pm – Nicole Kemeny, President, 350 Silicon Valley
• Feb. 25 6:30 pm – Franklin (Lynn) Orr, Ph. D., Former US Dept. of Energy Under Secretary for Science and Energy & Professor Emeritus, Department of Energy Resources Engineering, Stanford University
• Feb. 26 6:30 pm – Pat Burt, Former Mayor, City of Palo Alto

Art Ventures Gallery (888 Santa Cruz Ave Menlo Park) remains active regarding inspirations that impact society, as traditionally throughout time, art has always been the receptor of all walks of life.

Artist Michel Killen is pictured with Jan van der Lee, VP Research, Electricity of France