Real world problems that arise in energy and environmental research are often times mathematically challenged. They contain comprehensive issues that require thorough understanding of the underlining principles of physics, mathematical modeling, numerical solution techniques and computing infrastructure. Therefore, it is essential to form a multi-disciplinary team to efficiently solve theses problems. This inaugural conference on Computational Methods in Energy and Environmental Research will be a highly multi-disciplinary meeting. Researchers from different disciplines will attack some of the critical challenges in energy and environmental research. The objective of the conference is to have the researchers present their work and share their vision on important energy and environmental issues. In the mean time, they will listen, consult and learn from others, especially from those who are engaged in different disciplines. The plenary speakers, who are leading researchers in their area, will present their research and vision to lead the conference discussion. The plenary sessions will be followed by parallel minisymposium sessions, which feature in-depth technical discussions on the subject of special interest that is related to the conference topics.
The organizing committee chose to hold the inaugural conference in China for China's increasing importance in global energy and environment development. China is currently the world's second biggest energy consumer and greenhouse gas emitter after the United States. In the battle against energy shortage and vast environmental footprints, China's top leaders have launched robust policy initiatives that support research on renewable sources, energy efficiency, policy, petroleum exploration and other important energy and environmental problems. The organizing committee anticipates strong participation from Chinese energy and environmental research communities. They will share the hard lessons learnt and also catch up with frontier research through interactions with leading international scientists. It is also the first U.S.-China conference in this very important field. The conference will foster open dialogue and substantial research collaborations that will benefit both counties and arm them for the battle against energy crisis and global environmental deterioration.
