Renewable Energy and Resources

Jim Witham’s career has focused on bringing new technology, like GaN Systems’ world’s best performing power transistors, to the Electronics market. Witham joined GaN Systems from Neoconix, a manufacturer of high density, miniature connectors. As CEO of Neoconix, he successfully implemented strategic changes which dramatically increased revenue and resulted in the company’s acquisition by Unimicron Technology. Prior to Neoconix, Witham was CEO of Fultec Semiconductor, where his team made circuit protection devices using high voltage silicon, silicon carbide and gallium nitride (GaN) transistors. Fultec was acquired by circuit protection market leader Bourns. Witham has also held VP Sales & Marketing positions at Aegis Semiconductor, a tunable filter semiconductor manufacturer and Genoa, a semiconductor optical amplifier manufacturer. Other notable career highlights include senior executive positions at Raychem, including General Manager of the Raychem Interconnect Division and Director of Asia Sales & Marketing, based in Japan, for the Raychem Circuit Protection Division. As an Engineering Specialist at General Dynamics’ Space System Division during the eighties, Witham designed fluid systems for the Space Shuttle and was on Mission Control for interplanetary missions. Witham holds an MBA from Harvard and both M.S. and B.S. with distinction in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford.

renewable energy storage

Dr. Gabbar is a Professor in the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) in the Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science, and cross appointed in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. He is the recipient of the Senior Research Excellence Aware for 2016, UOIT, for his scholarly research in the areas of smart energy grids, gas-power systems, resilient transportation infrastructures, and plasma-based waste-to-energy technologies. He obtained his B.Sc. degree in 1988 with first class of honor from Alexandria University. In 2001, he obtained his Ph.D. degree from Okayama University. In 2001, he joined Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan), and from 2004, he joined Okayama University. He has been successful in attracting national and international funds where his research is widely recognized and reflected to more than 220 publications, including patents, books, chapters, and journal and conference papers. He is the founder and chair of Smart Energy Grid Engineering Annual Conference (SEGE).

Micro Energy Grids, Gas-Power Grids, Waste-to-Energy, Transportation Infrastructures, Hybrid Fuel, Flywheel-Based Energy Storage

Dehua Zheng has completed his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Electrical Engineering from North China Electric Power University, Baoding, China in 1982 and 1987, respectively. He has also graduated another M.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Manitoba, Canada in 1995. His profesional experience includes the Manitoba Hydropower Company, University of Manitoba, China National Wind Power Engineering Technology Research center, Goldwind Science and Technology, and many others. Dehua Zheng is an IEEE Senior Member, registered senior electrical engineer of North America, deputy director of China National Wind Power Engineering Technology Research Center and IEC project leader for IEC/TS 62898-3-1: Microgrids – Technical Requirements - Protection. Currently, as the Chief Scientist and Engineer of Goldwind Science & Technology, he is leading the Microgrid Platform R&D Institute and devotes himself to research and development of Chinese and world microgrid technology

Renewable Energy, Micro Grids

Zhang Dao Hua received his MSc degree from Shandong University, and PhD degree from the University of New South Wales. He joined the School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Nanyang Technology, Singapore in 1991 and is currently a professor, Deputy Director of Centre of Excellence for Semiconductor Lighting and Displays, Program Director of Photonic Nano-Structures and Applications. Professor Zhang’s main research interests include semiconductor materials, devices and technology, photonic metamaterials and applications. He has successfully completed over 20 research projects including the first $10M Competitive Research Program (CRP) of NTU as Lead PI. He has published over 470 papers in international journals (including Nature Communications, Light: Science and Application, Advanced Materials, Small, Advanced Optical Materials, ACS Photonics, Nanoscale and Scientific Reports) and international conferences, 6 books/proceedings, and 3 book chapters. He is Fellow of Institute of Physics, and Fellow of Institution of Engineering and Technology.

Plasmonic structures, enhanced absorption, photocurrent.

Terry Cooke is founder of the China Partnership of Greater Philadelphia (CPGP), a 501(c)3 non-profit platform fostering collaboration between the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and China in sustainable city infrastructure. Terry Cooke is a seasoned practitioner of Asian cross-border business and investment in clean energy and related high-tech fields. For the cleantech frontier in China, Terry brings broad context, unique insight, and an unparalleled range of contacts. Across the spectrum of technology innovation, Terry has decades of Asian in-country engagement at the ministerial level of government, with the private sector’s C-suite, and with the world’s premiere multi-stakeholder organization at Davos.

Clean Energy