Word is getting out about the California Renewable Energy and Storage Technology (CREST) Conference, even though it’s only two years old. At the 2013 conference, held May 4, both attendance and the number of sessions offered were up over last year.

“We’re happy with how it’s progressing, and there is excitement on campus,” says Abhijit Mukherjee, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, who organized the event. “Expectations are high, and it’s hard to keep pace. We’re trying to involve more faculty so it becomes bigger and even more successful.”

This past year, 80 people attended, up from 64 the year before, and Digital Energy came forward as a sponsor. Highlights included a talk by Rajit Gadh, director of UCLA’s Center for Smart Grid Research Center; a luncheon keynote address by David Nahai, former Los Angeles Department of Water and Power CEO and general manager; and the afternoon session, presented by industry professionals and organized by the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator, which recently set up a satellite office on campus.

“Students could see careers and applications in front of their eyes and learn where industry stands and where they can find jobs when they graduate,” Mukherjee says. “They could connect with people from industry, and that motivated them. Most who attended were very excited.”

Looking ahead, Mukherjee hopes to attract more sponsors and attendees to help grow the program. It’s all for the benefit of CSUN, he says, offering visibility for the university and faculty and facilitating connections between academia and industry.

CREST-Energy-Conference-2013.jpg