Please join us on April 16, 2026, for the UC Davis Industry & Materials Decarbonization Symposium, a free, in-person event focused on the technical, policy, and deployment challenges of decarbonizing industrial systems and materials production.
The symposium is jointly led by the UC Davis Industrial Decarbonization Solutions Hub and the UC Davis Materials Decarbonization and Sustainability Center, reflecting the interconnected role of energy systems and materials across the full decarbonization landscape.
The event is free, but advance registration is required.
Preliminary Agenda
Thursday, April 16th, 2026 | UC Davis Conference Center
This preliminary agenda reflects confirmed participants and session structure. It is subject to change as additional speakers are announced and the program is finalized.
9:00 – 9:30 am
Welcome and Introductions
- Kelly Kissock, Faculty Director, UC Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute
- Sabbie Miller, Faculty Director, UC Davis Materials Decarbonization and Sustainability Center
9:30 – 10:30 am
Opening Plenary Panel: Collaborating Toward a Decarbonized Future in a Shifting Landscape
Moderator
- Kelly Kissock, UC Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute
Speakers
- Andrew McAllister, California Energy Commission
- Rajinder Sahota, California Air Resources Board
- Brenden Jiang, California Department of General Services
- Jeremy Peterson-Self, Caltrans
10:30 – 11:00 am
Break
11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Breakout Session 1: Industrial Decarbonization Tools and Methods
Moderator
Vijay Gopalakrishnan, DNV
Speakers
- Zach Siefker, Cleaver-Brooks
- Chris Fraughton, AtmosZero
- Tara Schuelke, Hilmar Cheese Company
- Ali Qamar, UC Davis
- Ovais Khan, UC Davis
Breakout Session 2: Producing, Specifying, and Designing with Low-Carbon Materials
Moderator
Somayeh Nassiri, UC Davis
Speakers
- Cheng Qi, Ash Grove Cement
- Jenny Emrick, Prologis
- Steve Bryan, Ecocem Americas
- Sam Bailey, Clean Air Task Force
- Josefine Olsson, UC Davis/LBNL
12:15 – 1:30 pm
Lunch and Poster Session
1:30 – 2:45 pm
Breakout Session 3: The Decarbonization Journey
Speakers
- Vinod Narayanan, UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center
- Clay Monahan, Atlas602
- Mark Chung, Verdigris
- John O’Donnell, Rondo Energy
Breakout Session 4: Advancing Low-Carbon Materials Adoption Through Policy and Technology Breakthroughs
Moderator
- John Harvey, UC Pavement Research Center
Speakers
- Ben Skinner, RMI
- Kyle Heinzman, Sparkz Energy
- Tom Tietz, CNCA
- Seth Kane, UC Davis
2:45 – 3:15 pm
Break
3:15 – 4:30 pm
Closing Plenary: What Will Drive Adoption of Leading-Edge Solutions?
Moderator
- Richard Hart, ACEEE
Speakers
- Ryan Harty, American Honda Motor Company
- Christy Stanker, ClimateWorks Foundation
- Sean Mulderrig, NYSERDA
- Eric Masanet, UC Santa Barbara
5:00 – 5:15 pm
Closing Remarks and Next Steps
- Kelly Kissock, UC Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute
- Sabbie Miller, UC Davis Materials Decarbonization and Sustainability Center
5:15 pm
Reception and Networking
Symposium Conveners
Kelly Kissock
Faculty Director
UC Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute
Sabbie Miller
Faculty Director
UC Davis Materials Decarbonization and Sustainability Center
Symposium Speakers
Sam Bailey
Senior Manager of Industrial Innovation
Clean Air Task Force
Steve Bryan
President
Ecocem Americas
Mark Chung
Co-Founder and CEO
Verdigris
Jenny Emrick
Global Construction Sustainability Manager
Prologis
Chris Fraughton
Senior Director
AtmosZero
Vijay Gopalakrishnan
Principal Engineer
DNV
Richard Hart
Industry Director
ACEEE
Ryan Harty
Director of Advanced Planning
American Honda Motor Company
John Harvey
Faculty Director
UC Pavement Research Center
Kyle Heinzman
Plant Manager
Sparkz Energy
Brenden Jiang
Engineering Branch Chief
California Department of General Services
Seth Kane
Postdoctoral Scholar
UC Davis
Ovais Khan
Graduate Researcher
UC Davis
Eric Masanet
Professor and Mellichamp Chair in Sustainability Science for Emerging Technologies
UC Santa Barbara
Andrew McAllister
Commissioner
California Energy Commission
Clay Monahan
Co-Founder
Atlas602
Sean Mulderrig
Demonstrations Program Manager
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
Vinod Narayanan
Director
UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Somayeh Nassiri
Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
UC Davis
John O’Donnell
Chief Innovation Officer
Rondo Energy
Josefine Olsson
Postdoctoral Scholar
UC Davis/LBNL
Jeremy Peterson-Self
Division Chief of Construction
Caltrans
Ali Qamar
Graduate Researcher
UC Davis
Cheng Qi
Technical Center Director
Ash Grove Cement
Rajinder Sahota
Deputy Executive Officer for Climate Change and Research
California Air Resources Board
Tara Schuelke
Director of Engineering Services
Hilmar Cheese Company
Zach Siefker
Director of Integrated Thermal Systems
Cleaver-Brooks
Ben Skinner
Climate-Aligned Industries Manager
RMI
Christy Stanker
Industry Program Manager
ClimateWorks Foundation
Tom Tietz
Executive Director
California Nevada Cement Association