Premier Technical Conference on Wind Energy in North America
The NAWEA / WindTech 2024 Conference, the premier technical event on wind energy in North America, was recently hosted by Rutgers University, and co-organized by the New Jersey Academic Alliance for Offshore Wind (A2OSW)!
The all–inclusive event took place between Oct. 28 (Mon) – Nov. 2 (Sat), 2024.
The main conference took place Oct. 30 (Wed) – Nov. 1 (Fri), at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick, NJ.
Software workshops, the Graduate Student Symposium, and many side events were held on various Rutgers–New Brunswick locations.
Concluding Remarks from the Conference Chair
Dear Conference Attendees, Organizers, Volunteers, and Sponsors,
Thank you for everything you did to make the 2024 NAWEA / WindTech Conference such a resounding success.
Through the conference, Rutgers became an important focal point in the world of wind energy – it was exciting to see national and global leaders in the field congregate and move the field forward with their passion, discussions, sharing of experiences and ideas, and so much more. The technical sessions inspired a large group of students who will contribute to wind and other renewable energies, and to any field where they may find themselves.
Although organizing the conference was an intense and challenging experience, my pride in the outcome is far greater. I sought to execute the best possible technical conference and, along with a cadre of other dedicated individuals, I believe we did just that. Throughout the conference attendees thanked us for our efforts, remarking on the great value and hospitality of the event. To know that attendees found the conference to be a worthy use of their time and other resources, that they felt welcomed and appreciated, and that they felt invigorated by the surroundings of New Jersey and Rutgers University is truly the highest praise we could have received.
I am in debt to so many for this outcome. The closing ceremony was the proudest moment of my professional life. The efforts by Rutgers and NJ colleagues, students and staff made me proud to be a Rutgers faculty member.
Countless leaders and volunteers contributed time and professional expertise to organize and execute week long events including software workshops, a student symposium, professional organization meetings, technical sessions, and a very memorable Halloween Party – I am very grateful for all of your efforts.
Thank you once again for being part of the 2024 Conference - I look forward to meeting you in future conferences! I leave you below with some of the key statistics.
Sincerely,
Onur Bilgen, Ph.D.
Professor for Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Conference Statistics
General Conference:
- NSF Conference Award to support the Graduate Student Symposium (first time in NAWEA/WindTech Conference history)
- Number of Abstracts: 280 (final count), 290 (initial)
- Number of Posters: 55
- Number of Registrations: 366 (final count)
- Number of Attended Including VIPs/Guests/Volunteers: 380-400 (estimated)
- Number of Awards: 10
International Participation:
- Countries Represented (18 including the US): Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Spain, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkiye, United Kingdom, and the United States.
- International Academic Participation – 38% of all Academic Participation
- Largest international contributors: Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, …
Attendee Affiliations:
- Academic – 59%
- Government – 27%
- Industry – 11%
- .ORG – 1%
- Other – 2%
NEWS: NSF Grant for Student Travel Support
For the first time in NAWEA / WindTech Conference history, the Local Organizers received an NSF Conference Award to support the GSS.
The grant will support a GSS Travel Award Program, providing funding for travel and lodging expenses for students living 200 miles away from New Brunswick, NJ. Please note that the Travel Award application period is now closed.
The funding will also be used for the facilities and catering expenses associated with the GSS.
The grant will also enable us to bring two speakers from Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science (Stony Brook University) to conduct an interactive science communication training session.
Technical Sessions, Software Workshops, Side Events & More
Technical topics include, but not limited to (in alphabetical order): Airborne Wind; Atmospheric Sciences; Blade Design & Manufacturing; Controls; Digitalization, AI, Machine Learning; Distributed Wind; Education; Environmental; Experiments and Instrumentation; Extreme Weather; Floating Wind Systems; Grid Integration; Hybrids and Power to X; Novel Concepts; Ocean Sciences; Offshore Infrastructure, Supply Chain, and Policy; Reliability, Operations, and Maintenance; Rotor Aerodynamics and Aeroelasticity; Smart Systems, Materials, and Structures; Social Science; Systems Engineering; Wind Plant and Wakes Modeling; and more...
Professional side events include: Software workshops hosted by NREL (e.g., OpenFAST, WEIS, HOPP, FLORIS, AMR-Wind, etc.,) and PNNL, the Graduate Student Symposium - GSS (open to undergraduate researchers,) and professional organization meetings for NAWEA, IEA Wind, A2OSW, etc.
The 2024 Graduate Student Symposium
The Graduate Student Symposium (GSS), open to both graduate and undergraduate researchers, is bigger and better this year.
The Symposium aims to provide an enriching and interactive platform for students, helping them hone their communication and networking skills alongside other students and leaders in the fields of wind energy technology, research, and innovation.
The event is followed by an Industry-Student Networking Event at the Zimmerli Art Museum, and a special Ghost Tour of the Rutgers - College Avenue Campus.
Location, Location, Location...
New Jersey is a vital hub for offshore wind activity. Projects include New Jersey Wind Port, the Nation’s first purpose-built offshore wind marshaling point which is expected to support up to $500 million in new economic activity; the Wind Institute for Innovation and Training; the Offshore Wind Research and Monitoring Initiative; the Rutgers Offshore Wind Energy Collaborative, the Rutgers Center for Ocean Observing Leadership, the Rutgers Climate and Energy Institute; and much more.
New Brunswick is easily accessible to New York City, and boasts amenities including the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, State Theater New Jersey, Zimmerli Art Museum, and shopping on George Street. It is served by four major airports (i.e., EWR, LGA, JFK, and PHL), and trains to Philadelphia, Boston, D.C., and other East Coast cities.
Like running? The NYC Marathon will be on the Sunday after the Conference, on Nov. 3.
New York City is only a one-hour train ride away.
The central New Jersey region offers unprecedented proximity to industry, government labs, and scholars.
The 2024 Host - Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is the third-largest public university by enrollment, with 175 academic departments and 300 centers and institutes comprising New Jersey’s most extensive and diversified network of research libraries. Rutgers–New Brunswick is the nation’s #15 top public university, a Big Ten Academic Alliance member, New Jersey’s land-grant institution with a research portfolio of $940 million across STEM, the humanities, and the arts; – a richly diverse and interdisciplinary community.
NJ Academic Alliance for Offshore Wind (A2OSW)
The A2OSW is collaborative group of New Jersey universities and colleges consisting of (in alphabetical order): Atlantic Cape Community College, Monmouth University, Montclair State University, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), Princeton, Rowan University, Rutgers University, Seton Hall University, Stevens Institute of Technology, and Stockton University.
Pictures from the 2023 Conference
About NAWEA
NAWEA is a volunteer organization working to overcome the challenges of advancing wind power technology and its applications, optimizing its role in meeting the region’s energy needs in an environmentally sustainable manner, while nurturing the development and education of future generations of technical, management, and policy experts to ensure the continued sustainable advancement and optimization of wind power. Email: info@nawea.org
Subscribe to the NAWEA email list to get notifications about this conference.
Other Important Conferences in the Area
Joint Meeting of the MAC/NED-AFS
The Mid-Atlantic Chapter and the Northeastern Division of the American Fisheries Society (MAC/NED-AFS) are professional organizations that focus on fisheries and aquaculture.
A Joint Meeting of MAC/NED-AFS will be held on October 27-29 (Sunday-Tuesday), at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick. See MAC-AFS website.
This event take place during the two days before the start of the main NAWEA / WindTech Conference; hence, it is great opportunity for travelers who are interested in fisheries and aquaculture.
ACP Offshore Wind Power Conference
The main NAWEA / WindTech conference partially overlaps with the ACP Offshore Wind Power Conference (in Atlantic City, NJ) on Wednesday, Oct. 30. The ACP OWP Conference is primarily for industry and government participants.
This one-day overlap gives travelers an invaluable opportunity to attend both events on the same week!!
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