UC Davis Names Chevron Chair in Energy Efficiency
02 June 2010
The University of California, Davis announced the appointment of Professor Nicole Woolsey Biggart of the university’s Graduate School of Management to the Chevron Chair in Energy Efficiency. The Chevron Chair directs the UC Davis Energy Efficiency Center in its mission to accelerate the commercialization of energy-efficiency technologies, teach future leaders in energy efficiency and conduct critical policy-supporting research.
Chevron Corp. last year gave UC Davis $2 million to create the endowed chair along with an additional $500,000 in funding to be used at the director’s discretion for the Energy Efficiency Center. That endowment complements Chevron’s ongoing support for UC Davis, which includes a $500,000 gift in 2008 to be a lead sponsor of the Energy Efficiency Center and a $25 million biofuels research collaboration begun in 2006 to develop technology to convert nonfood agricultural waste into next-generation transportation fuels.
Professor Biggart joined the UC Davis Graduate School of Management in 1981, and she was awarded the Jerome J. and Elsie Suran Chair in Technology Management in 2002. She served as dean of the management school from July 1, 2003, to June 30, 2009. As an internationally recognized expert in organizational theory and management of innovation, her research covers economic and organizational sociology, firm networks, industrial change and social bases of technology adoption. She has studied and published on the barriers to implementation of energy efficient technologies in the commercial building industry.
As the Chevron Chair in Energy Efficiency, Biggart will work to expand the impact of the center’s research programs through interdisciplinary collaboration, education, outreach and commercialization of technologies. She will continue developing UC Davis’ strong links to utility, regulatory, policy and commercial interests, working together to improve energy efficiency at the state, national and international levels.
Established in 2006, the UC Davis Energy Efficiency Center is the first university center of excellence in energy efficiency. Its mission is to speed the transfer of energy-saving products and services into the homes, businesses and lives of Californians.
"As the Chevron Chair in Energy Efficiency, Biggart will work to expand the impact of the center’s research programs through interdisciplinary collaboration, education, outreach and commercialization of technologies."
Sort of like the ten years of Chevron commercialization of EV scale NiMH technology or the $8-16 billion Ecuadorean indigenous groups lawsuit against US-based Chevron-Texaco or the Nigerian Death Lawsuit against US-based Chevron-Texaco etc.
Posted by: kelly | 02 June 2010 at 06:37 AM
Is this another Chevron PR play?
Posted by: HarveyD | 02 June 2010 at 08:02 AM
It's a bit like the devil masquerading as your friend. Of course it's PR - just like the TV ads aired by BP, Shell, Chevron, etc. portraying themselves as compassionate stewards of humankind and the environment.
I can't think of a single action on Chevron's part that has promoted energy efficiency. It seems that all oil companies have become shameless, manipulative, prevaricating, unchecked, greedy capitalistic machines who will do whatever they must to pump every last drop of life-sucking oil from the earth.
Posted by: Sanity Chk | 02 June 2010 at 11:14 AM
Is it really a healthy to waste so much emotion on hatred and to impute such self destructive motives to US companies?
You really can't think of a single action on Chevron's part that has promoted energy efficiency? . . Umm?
Try "Chevron Corp. last year gave UC Davis $2 million to create the endowed chair along with an additional $500,000 in funding to be used at the director’s discretion for the Energy Efficiency Center."
I can't think of a single reason why Chevron must promote energy efficiency except one; That reason being that they should (actually should, not “must”), because there are too many people who think that others (usually evil, capitalist corporations) should support some noble cause that the general public will not support (or supports inadequately).
There are too many people who think that all of some group of corporations "have become shameless, manipulative, prevaricating, unchecked, greedy capitalistic machines who will do whatever they must to" [whatever is the latest evil].
When, those of us who work, leave home in the morning, should we not be less materialistic and be obligated to walk, not drive, out to the nearest dirt and plant flowers and trees? All of us. Every day ! How much better the world would be.
Posted by: ToppaTom | 03 June 2010 at 09:21 PM