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USC Marshall Hosts Forum on Renewable Energy
MBA Chapter of Net Impact Holds Second Annual AlterEnergy Event which Raises Awareness about Energy Issues
by Jennifer Cooke
USC's MBA chapter of Net Impact sponsored the second annual AlterEnergy forum, a panel discussion about challenges facing the energy industry, held last month in Popovich Hall on the University Park campus.
Net Impact is an international nonprofit whose mission is to make a positive impact on society by growing leaders who use business to improve the world.
"There is a high cost associated with our dependence on foreign energy," said Andrew Choi, president of Marshall Net Impact. "It is vital for us to educate future business leaders and the public regarding renewable energy to increase our energy independence and build a sustainable future."
The event, which reached maximum capacity, intended to raise awareness about current issues and opportunities facing the firms represented by members of the panel as well as those facing the energy industry collectively. Panelists included Kevin Christy, chief operations officer of Axio Power; Mike Marelli, director of origination and analysis at Southern California Edison; Andrew Wang from Solar Reserve; and Jordan Newman, director of project finance at Tioga Energy (a Marshall alum); and Zelinda Welch, market analyst at Sharp.
Dr. Mark Bernstein, managing director of USC's Energy Institute and a visiting faculty of Political Science at USC, moderated the discussion, which touched on the impact of the financial crisis on funding and growth, education of consumers about solar power and various technologies and approaches to clean energy.
A Q&A session and networking event with students followed the discussion.
About USC Marshall School of Business
Based in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California, at the crossroads of the Pacific Rim, the USC Marshall School is the best place to learn the art and science of business. The school's programs serve nearly 5,000 undergraduate, graduate, professional and executive-education students, who attend classes in facilities at the main Los Angeles campus, as well as satellite facilities in Irvine and San Diego. USC Marshall also operates a Global MBA program in conjunction with Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, China.