Alumni Foundation Launches
Three-Part Energy & Sustainability Lecture Series
with Inspiring Opening Session
Alumni Foundation Launches
Three-Part Energy & Sustainability Lecture Series
Inspiring Opening Session Led by
Adelson Jules '95 and Alexander Gardner '18
Alumni Foundation Launches
Three-Part Energy & Sustainability Lecture Series
Inspiring Opening Session Led by
Adelson Jules '95 and Alexander Gardner '18
Developed with the generous support of Con Edison and guided by Foundation Board Member and Con Edison leader Horace Davis ’84, the series is designed to expose students to the rapidly evolving energy sector and the expanding career pathways within it.
The opening session featured Adelson Jules ’95, Corporate Strategy Manager for Utilities & Energy at Con Edison. He was followed by Alexander Gardner ’18, a PhD researcher in mechanical engineering at City College of New York. Together, they offered students a rare dual perspective: the scientific frontier of clean energy technology and the strategic, real-world planning required to build a resilient, low-carbon grid.
Climate Resilience and New York’s Clean Energy Transformation
Adelson Jules ’95 centered his presentation on the real-world challenges facing New York’s energy grid. As a corporate strategy leader at Con Edison, Jules helps shape long-term planning for a system increasingly stressed by climate change, electrification, and extreme weather.
He opened with a stark reminder: “Carbon in the atmosphere is at an historic high at >400 PPM,” underscoring the urgency behind New York State’s ambitious climate mandates under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which requires:
- 70% renewable electricity by 2030
- 100% zero-emission electricity by 2040
- 85% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
Meeting these goals, he explained, will require a fundamental transformation of how energy is produced, delivered, and consumed. Con Edison’s strategy includes hardening infrastructure, expanding transmission, integrating renewables, deploying energy storage, and preparing customers for electrification.
Jules also highlighted the workforce opportunities emerging from this transition—from engineering and data science to skilled trades, project management, and environmental planning. He encouraged students to “learn, act, explore, build, and ask,” reminding them that the clean energy future will be shaped by the next generation of problem solvers.
From Brooklyn Tech to the Future of Clean Energy
Following Mr. Jules’s presentation, Alexander Gardner ’18 shared his journey from Bay Ridge to Brooklyn Tech, where he majored in Industrial Design and—by his own admission—“didn’t like math until senior year.” His academic path eventually led him to physics, mathematics, and now doctoral research in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), a field he described as “using computers to solve physics equations that describe fluids, heat, and energy.”
In his lecture, Simulating the Future of Clean Energy, Gardner walked students through the modern energy landscape and the accelerating shift away from fossil fuels. He highlighted the rise of natural gas, the growth of renewables, and renewed interest in next-generation nuclear reactors, including small modular reactors and molten salt technologies.
Students were particularly captivated by his explanation of CFD simulations—transforming complex equations into vivid visualizations of bubbles, droplets, and reactor cooling flows. These tools, he explained, allow engineers to design safer, more efficient energy systems long before they are built.
Gardner emphasized that the clean energy transition will require thinkers from many disciplines.
“You don’t have to have it all figured out,” he told students, encouraging them to explore math, physics, programming, and data science as gateways into impactful careers.
A Vision for Students: Energy, Sustainability, and Opportunity
The opening session set the tone for the entire lecture series: forward-looking, technically rich, and grounded in real-world impact. With the generous support from Con Edison and leadership from Horace Davis ’84, the Foundation is giving students a front-row seat to one of the most important transformations of the 21st century.
Both speakers left students with a powerful message: the clean energy transition is not just a scientific or policy challenge—it is a generational opportunity. Whether through advanced research, grid modernization, or community-focused climate resilience, Brooklyn Tech students have a vital role to play in shaping how the world is powered.
The Foundation extends sincere thanks to the club advisors and student leaders of the Caribbean Culture and Service Club, the Black Student Union, My Brother’s Keeper, My Sister’s Keeper, NSBE, and Unidos, with special appreciation to Ms. Tracyavon Ford for her support in making the event possible.
The next two sessions in the series, Monday, March 30 and Wednesday, April 29, will continue exploring the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and workforce development, offering students even more pathways into the energy careers of tomorrow.
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