Q&A with professor Harry Atwater

As we plan our upcoming 2-day energy system and carbon capture conference with Caltech, we talked with Prof. Harry Atwater, who is leading the program curation, about why working with groups like NosTerra is important:

Why is collaborating with groups like NosTerra important to Caltech?

"Caltech marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to answer fundamental scientific questions and address pressing societal challenges. Partners like NosTerra are important because they drive cross-sector conversations between researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to help create the urgent solutions we need to address our climate needs."

How is NosTerra's approach unique among non-profit partners?

"Caltech is honored to work with a wide range of partners to accomplish our joint mission of education and research. In Caltech’s Division of Engineering and Applied Science, we are focused on societal grand challenges, including sustainability. What’s true about NosTerra, and Dave Welch in particular, is the focus on practical outcomes. NosTerra’s approach to using price per kilowatt hour to assess potential solutions is the kind of market-based thinking that helps engineers focus on viable technologies. It is absolutely invaluable to collaborate with a supporter who not only thrives on complexity, but also rolls up his sleeves and works side-by-side with the team."

How do these collaborations support our transition to a carbon-free energy grid?

“Fixing the grid” is complicated. Groups like NosTerra, with their deep experience in the private sector, are crucial partners in helping to speed action from academic, public, and non-profit sectors, which often work on a different timetable and with different stakeholders. When it comes to climate action, agility and speed matters."