Brian Young, Governor Inslee’s Clean Technology Sector Lead, spoke at Shoreline Community College on Tues., August 18 to a roomful of educators attending the National Science Foundation’s Train the Trainer Renewable Energy Biofuels Academy. The academy is being hosted on Shoreline’s campus Aug. 17-21.
Young, who is a veteran of Imperium Renewables, the largest independent biodiesel producer in the U.S., as well as Element Strategic Partners, a clean tech consultancy that led the development of the Washington Clean Energy Leadership Council, currently serves as the point of contact for clean technology companies navigating Washington State’s political and economic landscape.
He spoke about the changing face of the industry and the varied paths to a career in biofuels. His presentation was followed by a Q+A with the academy’s attendees, who are high school and college science, agriculture and technical education instructors from around the nation learning how to bring biofuels education into their own classrooms.
Louise Petruzzella, Director of Shoreline’s Clean Energy Tech program, called both the academy and Young’s talk a success. “Any time we can shine the spotlight on how our Clean Energy Tech program is helping meet not only our campus community’s ongoing commitment to sustainability but is also training sustainability workers of the future for our state, it’s a win,” she said.
Shoreline was chosen to host the academy as part of winning a National Science Foundation grant. In addition to the week’s schedule of educational activities, participants will also learn how to turn used cooking oil into biofuel. The resulting fuel will be donated to 21 Acres, a Woodinville-area non profit dedicated to sustainability.