We are delighted to confirm that Professor Ben Sovacool will be the keynote speaker. Thomas Fohgrub, Head of the Coordination Unit for the Global Plan of Action for Sustainable Energy Solutions in Situations of Displacement (GPA) and Kat Harrison, Director of 60 Decibels will also be presenting. Alongside HEED team members, Professor Elena Gaura, Professor Heaven Crawley, and Dr Jonathan Nixon, Vijay Bhopal from social enterprise Scene and Sarah Rosenberg-Jansen from GPA will also be present to discuss their work.
Professor Ben Sovacool
Ben is Director of the Centre on Innovation and Energy Demand and of the Sussex Energy Group and Professor of Energy Policy at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU). He is renowned for his work on renewable energy and energy efficiency, the politics of large-scale energy infrastructure, and building adaptive capacity to the consequences of climate change. Having received numerous awards and overseen notable international research projects, he is one of the most highly cited global researchers in energy and climate policy. Ben is also Co-PI of the INNOPATHS (Innovation Pathways, Strategies and Policies for the Low-Carbon Transition in Europe) research project.
Ben's latest publication: Sociotechnical Agendas: Reviewing Future directions for Energy and Climate Research'
Thomas Fohgrub
As Head of the coordination unit for the Global Plan of Action for Sustainable Energy Solutions in Situations of Displacement (GPA), Thomas oversees ways of working towards implementing renewable energy solutions in international crisis situations. Thomas has a background of working in international affairs, policy and energy and his PhD was in quality assurance and management consulting. Currently, Thomas is co- steering the Clean Energy Challenge, a multi-stakeholder engagement to provide cleaner and safer energyto forcibly displaced populations.
Kat Harrison
Kat Harrison is the Director of Impact at 60 Decibels. There she leads the energy work and heads up Africa operations for the social enterprise. Before working 60 Decibels, Kat served as Associate Director of Impact at Acumen, led impact work for various social enterprises, and worked for the UN. She holds a B.Sc. in Economics & International Development from the University of Bath and an M.Sc. in Development Policy, Process, & Practice from the University of Reading. Kat was recognised as a Young Leader in Renewable Energy by Recharge and was a finalist for the Red Magazine Woman of the Year award for her work in energy access impact. Report: Why off-grid energy matters. A customer-led view of the off-grid energy sector's impact.