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On tap for Monday: coverage of the US and France energy conference from Austin

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A quick heads up: I’ll be covering an energy conference here in Austin on Monday called Comparative Energy Policies and Technologies in France and the USA. As the title says, the conference will focus on how the United States and France have developed different strategies to reach similar goals of having safe, clean, and reliable energy.

For example, France is routinely used as an example of a country having a successful nuclear program, whereas nuclear energy in the United States has stalled since the late 1970s and early 1980s. Also, cheap American natural gas is shaking up the global energy landscape thanks to fracking, while American coal is making its way to power plants and factories in Europe.

The list of panels and speakers can be found at the conference website. I’ll be posting throughout the day from The University of Texas campus. The conference runs from 830AM to 530PM Texas time, so check back often on the blog or on Twitter.

David Wogan is an engineer and policy researcher who writes about energy, technology, and policy.

David's academic and professional background includes a unique blend of technology and policy in the field of energy systems. Most recently, David worked at Austin Energy, a Texas municipal utility, implementing a Department of Energy stimulus grant related to energy efficiency. Previously, David was a member of the Energy & Climate Change team at the White House Council on Environmental Quality for the Obama Administration.

David holds two Master's degrees from The University of Texas at Austin in Mechanical Engineering and Public Affairs. While at UT, David was a researcher in the Webber Energy Group, where his research focused on advanced biofuel production to offset petroleum use in the transportation sector. David holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, where he researched nuclear non-proliferation measurement technology.

David is a 2013 Aspen Institute Journalism Scholar, joining a select group of journalists from Slate, ABC News, and The New York Times.

David lives in Austin, Texas. Follow along on Twitter or email him at david.wogan@me.com.

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