UPitt Infrastructure Sensing Collaboration (UPISC) 2026 Workshop
June 2nd: Energy Innovation Center, Pittsburgh PA
Register Here
Agenda
Day 1: June 2nd
The UPISC 2026 workshop opening session will be held on the first day with the intent to set the tone, foundation, and objectives of the event. High profile speakers will establish the importance of the topic at hand and urgency with which emerging challenges must be addressed. A social hour and networking event will allow attendees to engage with one another as well as with invited guests and speakers.
The open workshop program will include all registered attendees.
Location: Energy Innovation Center, Pittsburgh PA
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| DLC Bright Room | All Registered Workshop Attendees |
| 1:00 p.m. | Welcome Remarks |
| 1:05 p.m. | Workshop Overview, Background, and Objectives
Paul Ohodnicki - Director - Center for Energy - University of Pittsburgh (U. Pitt) Ruishu Wright - Technical Portfolio Lead - National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) |
| 1:30 p.m. | Plenary Panel: Emerging Priorities and Initiatives – Current State and Future Trends
Moderator: Robert Lieberman - President at Lumoptix - National Academy of Engineering, Lumoptix Bryan Morreale - Executive Director, Research & Innovation Center - National Energy Technology Laboratory(NETL) Evan Frye - Program Manager - Hydrocarbon and Geothermal Energy Office, US Department of Energy Robert Mellors - Program Director - ARPA-E Steven Wray - Director of Economic Development - City of Pittsburgh |
| 2:30 p.m. | Coffee and Networking Break |
| 3:00 p.m. | Plenary Panel: National Imperatives – Quantum, AI, Electric Power Grid, and Energy-Water Nexus
Moderator: Paul Ohodnicki - Director - Center for Energy - University of Pittsburgh (U. Pitt) Kelly Rose - Senior Fellow, Geo-Data Science Researcher - National Energy Technology Laboratory(NETL) Benjamin Kroposki - Director of Power Systems Engineering Center - National Laboratory of the Rockies Emma Wong - Nuclear Principal Lead for Innovation, Quantum Technologies, and International Engagement - Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Markus Drouven - Technical Director, Strategic Energy Initiatives - National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) |
| 4:00 - 4:30 p.m. | Facilitated Discussion:
How Can the Infrastructure Sensing Community Impact These National Objectives? |
| 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. | Networking Social Hour and Light Refreshments Including Guided Laboratory Tours of the Energy Innovation Center |
Day 2: June 3rd
All events of the open workshop day will be held in the DLC Bright Space Room.
The open workshop program will include all registered attendees.
Location: Energy Innovation Center, Pittsburgh PA
Morning Agenda
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | Registration and Networking |
| 8:30 a.m. | Welcome Remarks and Introduction to the Workshop (Objective, Scope, Steering Committee) |
| 8:40 a.m. | University, National Energy Technology Laboratory, and National Academy Welcome Comments
Bryan Morreale - Executive Director, Research & Innovation Center - National Energy Technology Laboratory(NETL) Michele Manuel - U.S. Steel Dean of Engineering - University of Pittsburgh Joshua Carter - Lead Photonic Engineer and Researcher - Naval Surface Warfare Center |
| 9:00 a.m. | Partnership Announcements
|
| 9:30 a.m. | Infrastructure Sensing Technology Overview Presentations (U. Pitt. and NETL)
Ruishu Wright - Technical Portfolio Lead - National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Paul Ohodnicki - Director - Center for Energy - University of Pittsburgh (U. Pitt) |
| 10:00 a.m. | Coffee and Networking Break |
| 10:15 a.m. | INSITES Consortium – U. Pitt. Momentum Funds Project Overview and Update
Zachary Harris - RK Mellon Faculty Fellow in Energy - University of Pittsburgh (U. Pitt) Piervincenzo Rizzo - Full Professor - University of Pittsburgh (U. Pitt) William Harbert - Professor of Geophysics - University of Pittsburgh (U. Pitt) Amy Babay - Assistant Professor - University of Pittsburgh (U. Pitt) |
| 11:00 a.m. | Panel on Condition Based Monitoring Across Infrastructure Segments
Moderator: Joshua Carter - Lead Photonic Engineer and Researcher - Naval Surface Warfare Center Derek Brown - Director of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure - EQT Corporation Jim Ianni - Director of Sales - TS Conductor Jason Esser - Senior Vice President - Shikun & Binui Andrew Boulanger - Program Manager - DOE Nuclear Energy (Invited) Emily Elliott - Professor, Co-founder and Chair - Pittsburgh Water Collaboratory |
| 12:00 a.m. | Logistical Announcements / Lunch / Networking Break |
Afternoon Agenda
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1:00 p.m. | Panel on Distributed Fiber Optics and Infrastructure
Moderator: Paul Ohodnicki - Director - Center for Energy - University of Pittsburgh (U. Pitt) Robert Clapp - Senior Staff Research Scientist - GoogleX John Ohanian - Senior Research Scientist - LUNA Ping Lu - Development Engineer - Lightera Paul Dickinson - Chairman of Advisory Council - Fiber Optic Sensing Association |
| 2:00 p.m. | Invited Industry Speaker: AI - Optical Neural Networks and Distributed Sensing – On Chip Photonics
Dmitry Kozak - Senior Engineer - Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division |
| 2:30 p.m. | Coffee Break |
| 2:45 p.m. | Keynote Industry Speaker: Sensing and Instrumentation for Nuclear Applications
Luke Breon - Technical Leader - Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) |
| 3:45 p.m. | Panel on Infrastructure Segment Connectivity and Sensing Needs
Moderator: Ruishu Wright - Technical Portfolio Lead - National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Melissa Bilec - Co-Director - University of Pittsburgh Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation Alexandra Hakala - Acting Director of Oil and Gas Center of Excellence - National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Jason Keller - Director, Grid Infrastructure and Engineering - Duquesne Light Company (DLC) Daniel Bain - Vice Chair - Pittsburgh Water Collaboratory |
| 4:45 p.m. | Looking to the Future and Next Steps |
| 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. | Technical Poster Session with a Social Hour and Light Refreshments |