By Jonathan Wenger, Staff Writer
On Oct. 26, the Eisenhower Institute (EI) hosted the latest installment of their “Lunch and Learn” series. The event’s guest speaker was Co-founder of Ampere Skye Lawrence. Ampere is a company that focuses on electrifying and decarbonizing industrial processes.
Lawrence earned her Bachelor of Arts in Government from Smith College and received her master’s of public administration in Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy from the University of London.
Executive Director of EI Tracie Potts opened the event. She welcomed the audience, a mix of students and faculty, stating that the goal of the Lunch and Learn program is to “bring very interesting speakers and public policy programs.”
The lecture focused on the question “Can an Energy Moonshot Unify America?” which enabled Lawrence to connect the ingenuity and technological innovations that came out of the Space Race with current issues and innovations in the energy transition.
Lawrence spoke on the unity and dedication that came from the Space Race. She quoted former President of the United States John F. Kennedy, saying, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade, not because it is easy, but precisely because it is hard. Because the goal will serve to organize and to measure the best of our energies and our skills because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one that we are unwilling to postpone and one that we intend to win.”
Lawrence suggested that an “audacious goal” such as going to the moon can lead to new technological innovations, as well as create a sense of national pride and unity among groups that would normally not see eye to eye.
During the presentation, Lawrence encouraged small group discussions to facilitate brainstorming and offer attendees the chance to share their perspectives. She had small groups discuss the process of barnraising and the elements that go into that. This discussion was used to show the process that goes into innovation, specifically with the Space Race.
Lawrence articulated that one of the biggest reasons for the United States’ success with the Apollo Project was having a rival: the USSR. She said, “Who are the rivals of the United States? What makes us different? This difference is what allows us to understand what we are. And so I think that’s really key in a lot of these sort of technological race situations.”
Lawrence connected the ideas and dreams of the space race with the potential we have now in the energy transition.
“So renewable energy: the question of can the energy transition be a moonshot? Obviously, it’s different. It’s not as imaginative. It’s not as sexy. It’s not as out there. But it is a common purpose. And then anyone that realizes that the country that has the right technology for the next thing will be the leader,” Lawrence said.
As homes and businesses alike look to move towards electrification, Lawrence argues that there is a huge opportunity for jobs and ingenuity in this expanding field.
Lawrence concluded, “I don’t know that we’re going to have a moonshot like we had. But I do think that the technology that came out of [the space race] is going to help us in this transition. And it’s a really exciting time if you’re interested in technology transition, that is going to help the climate, but it’s also a technology transition that you can be a part of and it really is the wave of the future.”
