October 18, 2022
HACU hosts Town Hall on the role of colleges, universities in addressing climate change
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities hosted a Town Hall to discuss, "The Synergies of HSIs and Latino/as in Clean Energies: Making America the Powerhouse of the World’s Economic Prosperity." The Town Hall took place on Oct. 10, 2022, as part of HACU’s 36th Annual Conference in San Diego, Calif.
Prior to the start of the event, a special video message from Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm was played where she emphasized the importance of preparing students for careers in STEM and spoke of the current initiatives of the Energy Department.
The discussion focused on how lessening the effects of climate change and affording environmental justice has become even more pressing as the world continues to recover from the pandemic. Hispanic-Serving Institutions and their students are an asset to strengthen the country’s global role in STEM careers, particularly in clean energies and environmental justice that will need technicians, engineers, and scientists. A panel of Fortune 500 Energy company CEOs and university leaders discussed the leadership role of HSIs in climate mitigation.
The HACU Town Hall was moderated by: Irma Becerra, Ph.D., president of Marymount University. Speakers included Leo Moreno, president of AES Clean Energy, William “Bill” Murray, senior vice president, corporate affairs and communications for Dominion Energy and Pedro J. Pizarro, Ph.D., president and CEO of Edison International.
Following the Town Hall, HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores and President and CEO of Hispanics in Energy Jose Perez signed a MOU to strengthen the energy STEM pathway to increase the number of students from HSIs who enter energy workforce.