Education about power the goal of Energy Roast

By Kortez Wilson

With the rapid development of different methods such as nuclear power, natural gas and the most well known in Kentucky — coal — people have formed their own opinions about which energy source should be the featured source.

The UK Energy Club will host a free panel discussion, “The Energy Roast,” Thursday, about these energy issues.

“No question is off limits,” said Kassy Lum, the vice president of collaboration for the Energy Club.

Lum said the club wanted to host an event that would interest all students and faculty with many different points of view.

The club’s goal is to educate students with the help of various professionals on energy issues that affect the community.

Lum said the discussion will cover topics ranging from utility bills, to building codes, even to national security.

The Energy Roast aims to answer questions about various energy sources, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Tim Taylor, a civil engineering professor, said the panel is a good way to bring together people from different socio-economic backgrounds.

The energy issue is a “large puzzle with many pieces,” he said.

Taylor, who will be on the panel, said it is an opportunity to learn multiple angles surrounding a particular energy source.

He said society needs to learn to use power more efficiently.

“Power and energy seem to be hot topics right now due to the new opportunities that have been presented to us,” said Larry Holloway, an electrical and computer engineering professor.

In recent years, the energy subject has been among the most debated issues not only in America, but around the world.

The main question that seems to give everyone trouble, from policymakers to ordinary citizens, is which energy source is the most environmentally friendly, cheap and reliable for the world.

Although the club wants people from the campus community to bring their own ideas, the Energy Club’s goal is neither to support nor challenge the ideals of the speakers, according to a news release.

Holloway, who will moderate, said the event is a “great opportunity for students to understand the big changes that are taking place in the world of power and energy.”

Each of the five speakers, who represent different UK colleges and organizations, will give an approximately five-minute presentation on energy in their fields of study, and then the panel will be open to questions from the audience.

“It’s a great way for students to understand what is going on,” Holloway said about the panel. “Students will find this event interesting.”