Tomorrow’s Energy and Innovation Summit

Dear Members of the CMU Community,

For the past several weeks, Carnegie Mellon University has been preparing to host the inaugural Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit, convened by U.S. Senator David McCormick. Due to the participation of President Trump and other high-profile leaders such as Governor Josh Shapiro, we have not been in a position to share many details publicly; however, as we continue to work closely with the Senator’s team, I want to provide a brief overview of tomorrow’s events and invite you to follow along via a livestream link provided by the organizers.

As previously shared, and as I detail in my op-ed today in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, this nationally significant gathering will bring hundreds of influential voices in government, industry and academia to our campus to address some of the most urgent challenges at the intersection of energy and artificial intelligence. CMU faculty have active research engagement with many of the companies whose executives will be attending the Summit.

Information on the Day’s Agenda 

  • A series of panel discussions will include business executives, senior public officials from both sides of the aisle, and university presidents. I will provide brief welcome remarks at the start of the day and then participate in the opening dialogue on AI. The panel conversations will cover a range of topics on the AI race, how we can power the AI revolution and the specific opportunities ahead for Pennsylvania.
  • The Industry and Academic Expo, organized by CMU in close partnership with the Senator’s team, will serve as an anchor event throughout the Summit. It will feature a range of tech and energy companies as well as faculty innovators from several leading research universities across Pennsylvania that are advancing important work at the intersection of energy and AI. A strong contingent from our university community — including several CMU faculty and alumni and more than a dozen CMU-affiliated companies — will have the opportunity to highlight their research applications and impact throughout the day.
  • A CEO Roundtable will close the Summit, during which Senator McCormick and President Donald Trump will engage in a conversation with senior industry leaders about shaping the future of American innovation.

Reaffirming CMU's Leadership on the National Stage

I recognize that CMU’s decision to host the Summit has prompted concern and disagreement among some members of our community. Let me be clear: as I have shared in the past, when we have significant policy disagreements with this Administration — regarding cuts to research funding and support for international students, for example — we have defended our position and vigorously advocated for higher education, working with our elected officials and our peers across AAU.

At the same time, I firmly believe that higher education must be a convener — a catalyst for ideas and partnerships that shape our future. And CMU has a long and proud tradition of doing exactly that. Universities must remain places where divergent perspectives can be expressed freely and peacefully. Even when we disagree with others or the views they hold, we embrace the opportunity to model civil discourse during a polarized time as well as the responsibility to welcome our guests with graciousness and respect. This commitment to open dialogue and civic engagement reflects a broader role CMU has played as an engine of innovation, collaboration and economic vitality across our region. For more than 25 years, our university has been at the heart of Pittsburgh’s renaissance, serving as a catalyst for research-driven partnerships and development that benefit the city, the Commonwealth and the nation. Now is the time to reaffirm our commitment to the vitality and economic prosperity of our region.

The Summit is one way we demonstrate our commitment to national leadership in research and innovation — but it is far from the only one. We intend to carry forward these important conversations on the future of AI and energy within our own community, through the Deeper Conversations initiative and other academic forums throughout the coming year.

CMU Research and Policy Memos: AI x Energy 

Earlier this morning and in parallel with the Summit, Carnegie Mellon released a series of faculty-authored position statements aimed at informing the national dialogue on energy and innovation. Curated with the support of Vice President for Research Theresa Mayer and faculty co-leads Costa Samaras and Zico Kolter, the Energy and AI Research Memos highlight CMU’s strengths at the intersection of artificial intelligence, energy and public policy. Developed by more than 35 faculty and researchers from across disciplines, this series of over two dozen white papers details CMU's contributions to some of the most complex and consequential challenges at the nexus of AI and energy, including:

  • Powering the rapidly escalating energy demands of AI systems and data infrastructure;
  • Safeguarding national resilience through advanced cybersecurity strategies;
  • Accelerating scientific discovery through AI-driven research tools; and
  • Ensuring the development of sustainable, equitable and ethically grounded AI solutions.

At a time when the spotlight is on Pittsburgh and CMU, these pieces help to clarify and elevate the value and relevance of CMU’s research during a moment of heightened national focus — ensuring that our faculty’s insights reach policymakers, industry leaders and the public well beyond the day’s events. I wish to acknowledge and thank the leadership and members of a cross-campus Faculty Advisory Committee, who shaped this effort with thoughtfulness and academic rigor. Special thanks to Margaret McGill, director of policy engagement in the Office of the Vice President for Research, for her support of this effort.The result is a series that reflects the breadth and strength of CMU’s research enterprise in this area.

Finally, I recognize that hosting an event of this scale is disruptive, and I am grateful to our entire community for your flexibility and understanding as we prepare to host the Summit. I wish to thank the many members of our university community who have made this day possible — especially our colleagues in University Advancement and Events, CMU Police, Facilities Management Services, Student Affairs, Government Relations, University Communications and Marketing and the many other campus partners who worked tirelessly behind the scenes.

Moments like these underscore both the complexity and the promise of our work — and I am grateful for the thoughtful engagement of this community as we navigate them together.

Warm regards,

Farnam Jahanian
President
Henry L. Hillman President's Chair