Achieving Sustainable Solutions to the
Global Energy and Environmental Challenge

The 2006 Baker Forum will assemble a high-level group of education, industry and policy leaders to discuss strategies for "Achieving Sustainable Solutions to the Global Energy and Environmental Challenge."

The Forum will start with an invited public keynote address by David Goodstein, Caltech Vice Provost and Professor of Physics and Applied Physics (and author of Out of Gas: The End of the Age of Oil), on trends in petroleum supply and demand, the environmental impact of continued reliance upon petroleum sources of energy and potential technological solutions. The keynote address will set the stage for focused discussion by Forum participants, including panel presentations by several additional speakers and structured discussions by all participants convened in breakout groups.

Forum participants will discuss and define the problems associated with the global transition to a "post-oil" world. They will isolate several key challenges and opportunities for the U.S. and California in this transition. They will identify the directions of federal and state policies and assess the incentives they provide for development of alternative energy strategies. Finally, participants will identify options for Cal Poly (and other polytechnic and science and technology universities) to respond to key challenges and opportunities in partnership with business and government.

As a tangible outcome of the Forum, Cal Poly will seek to initiate specific education and applied research initiatives, potentially in collaboration with education/industry/government partners. In addition, Forum proceedings will be disseminated to a wide group of state and national leaders.