2013 STaR Symposium to feature NY Times columnist and Nova Science Now Host, David Pogue

Charleston, WV, September 18, 2013 – David Pogue, science author, New York Times columnist and host of PBS’s Nova Science Now, will be the keynote presenter at the 5th Biennial Science, Technology & Research (STaR) Symposium, to take place Oct. 22-23 at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown, conference organizers announced today.

Dr. Jan Taylor, director of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s Division of Science & Research, said, “This year’s STaR Symposium theme, appropriate for an energy state like West Virginia, is The Evolution of Energy: From Scarcity to Abundance. We’ll look at the issues surrounding energy development and use from all sides to highlight the challenges and opportunities in West Virginia.”

Taylor said Dr. Cal Kent, retired vice president of Business and Economic Research at Marshall University, and Dr. Tom Witt, professor emeritus of Economics at West Virginia University, as well as nearly two dozen expert presenters from state colleges and universities, business and industry, will discuss the potential of energy development and use in West Virginia.

Presenters will discuss a host of topics, including:
– West Virginia’s increasingly diverse energy portfolio;
– The long-term future for coal;
– The impact of shale gas technology;
– Energy research underway in the Mountain State;
– Programs to address energy efficiency and workforce development.

Researchers, business representatives, students and faculty interested in learning about energy use, energy conservation and energy research in West Virginia are encouraged to attend. For more information, including registration, visit www.wvresearch.org and click on the STaR Symposium link.