UVA Energy Systems Symposium & RiG Session
DWIH New York is pleased to support the German-American Energy Systems Symposium at the University of Virginia, a full-day program dedicated to transatlantic exchange on research, innovation, and collaboration in the field of energy systems. The symposium brings together experts from academia, research institutions, and industry to address current challenges and future pathways in areas such as energy grids, distributed energy systems, and long-term energy innovation.
As part of this broader program, DWIH New York also contributes to the Research in Germany Presentation at the University of Virginia, designed to introduce students, researchers, faculty, and university partners to Germany’s research, funding, and innovation landscape.
The session features contributions from representatives of the German Embassy Washington / BMFTR, the German Research Foundation (DFG), the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), DWIH New York, and Fraunhofer USA. Together, they provide an overview of research funding opportunities, international collaboration pathways, academic mobility and exchange programs, and current strategic priorities in science and innovation in Germany.
The presentation aims to offer attendees a practical introduction to studying, researching, funding, and collaborating with partners in Germany, while also creating space for questions, discussion, and networking.
Agenda
Part I – German-American Energy Systems Symposium
8:00 – 8:30 AM
Arrival, registration, coffee, and light breakfast.
8:30 – 9:00 AM
Welcome and opening remarks by Lori McMahon (University of Virginia) and Prof. René Haak (German Embassy Washington), including remarks on Germany’s High-Tech Agenda.
9:00 – 9:45 AM
Plenary Session I: Emerging Challenges for Energy Grids
with Stefan Niessen (TU Darmstadt / Siemens Corporate Technology), Madhav Marathe (University of Virginia), and Ali Mehrizi-Sani (Virginia Tech).
9:45 – 10:30 AM
Plenary Session II: Distributed Energy Generation and System Integration
with Thorsten Spillmann (Fraunhofer IEG), Audun Botterud (MIT / Argonne National Laboratory), and Hani El-Kaderi (Virginia Commonwealth University).
10:30 – 10:45 AM
Coffee break.
10:45 – 11:30 AM
Plenary Session III: Fusion Technology & Long-Term Energy Futures
with Josef Schweinzer (Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics), Benjamin Stephens (Commonwealth Fusion Systems), and Saskia Mordijck (William & Mary).
11:30 AM – 12:45 PM
Networking lunch and keynote by Chen-Ching Liu (Virginia Tech) on international perspectives on energy challenges.
12:45 – 1:30 PM
Breakout sessions on grid challenges and systems modeling, distributed energy and systems integration, and fusion energy and future energy systems.
1:30 – 3:00 PM
Convening session on pathways for German-(European)-American collaboration, followed by shared discussion and closing remarks.
Part II – Research in Germany Presentation
4:00 – 4:30 PM
Presentation from the Side of the German Embassy Washington and BMFTR, Prof. René Haak will speak on Global Minds initiative and high-tech agenda
4:30 – 4:50 PM
Bettina Schuffert Presents as a representative of the DfG, the German Research Foundation
4:50 – 5:10 PM
Jan Lüdert introduces the work of the German Center for Research and Innovation New York (DWIH NY) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
5:10 – 5:30 PM
Thomas Schuelke introduces the work of Fraunhofer USA
5:35 – 6 PM
Q&A with the three presenters and mingling/networking
Event Information
April 8, 2026, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
University of Virginia
Organizer(s): DWIH New York, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Washington D.C., DAAD, DFG, Fraunhofer USA, Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, University of Virginia Biocomplexity Institute