AI4OPT Joins Global Experts at ARPA-E Summit

Members of AI4OPT joined scientists, technologists, engineers, students, researchers, and industry representatives from around the world at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) Summit from March 17-19, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

Georgia Tech Research Corporation Recognized for RAMC Project

The Georgia Tech Research Corporation received an ARPA-E award for its work on “Risk-Aware Market Clearing for Power Systems (RAMC)” Pascal Van Hentenryck, the A. Russell Chandler III Chair, professor, and director of AI4OPT and Tech AI at Georgia Tech was invited to speak on the project, which was established to provide a blueprint for an end-to-end, data-driven approach to balancing costs and system-level risks in future power grids.

ARPA-E Summit Highlights Key Energy Innovations

Established in 2009, ARPA-E funds research and development in advanced energy technologies. The focus of this year’s Energy Innovation Summit was “forging the future” and featured keynotes, fireside chats, panels, networking events, and the highlight of the event: a technology showcase.

AI4OPT’s Presence at the Summit

AI4OPT PhD student Rosemary Barrass attended the event and managed the institute’s booth during the showcase. Barrass had the opportunity to attend sessions during the summit, speak with academic leaders and potential industry partners, and learn more about varying energy technology research areas.

“I particularly enjoyed seeing the panel ‘Quantum Disruption in Energy: Hype, Hope, or Imminent Advantage?’" she said. "My recent work on quantum computing algorithms has been an exciting foray into the world of quantum computing. It is wonderful to see that there is a growing interest in quantum computing for power systems.”

Barrass said she learned more about research areas of which she had previously been unaware, particularly the treatment and enhancement of soil as a piece of the puzzle for a green energy future.

“Attending the breakout session ‘Our Bioenergy-Powered Future’ taught me a lot about the far-reaching impacts of better soil scanning technologies, genetically modified corn variants, and mineral mining practices," Barrass said. "It was fascinating to learn how these technologies could impact the energy sector and beyond.”

AI4OPT members gained valuable opportunities to discover, connect, and collaborate with those catalyzing the future of energy innovation.