2014 American Energy and Manufacturing Competitiveness Summit

Recently, I was fortunate enough to attend the 2014 American Energy and Manufacturing Competitiveness Summit (AEMC), which is put on by my employer, the Council on Competitiveness, in partnership with the US Department of Energy. This event, located at the Ronald Reagan Building and  International Trade Center, is the second annual national event that is designed to build momentum around American innovation, progress, and competitiveness in the energy and manufacturing fields. The Summit brings together public and private leaders in the industries to inspire them to make concrete steps toward enhancing US prosperity and productivity.

This year's Summit brought together over 500 CEOs, university presidents, national laboratory directors, and other stakeholders in the energy and manufacturing industries. The lineup of speakers and panel participants included the Honorable Ernest Moniz, the Secretary of Energy of the US Department of Energy, Samuel Allen, the chairman and CEO of John Deere Co., along with a myriad of executives from global energy and manufacturing giants like General Electric and Lockheed Martin. Not only was I able to gain great insight into how these companies and people are trying to innovate and change the world, I was able to speak with them as peers in comfortable, informal environments outside of the panel discussions. I had the rare opportunity to chat casually with the likes of US Steel CEO Mario Longhi and University of Cincinnati President Dr. Santa J. Ono (who are both great guys might I add).

I was also able to learn about smaller ventures and lesser known companies that are innovating and are in the process of changing the energy and manufacturing markets as we know them. I attended a presentation by John B. Rogers, the CEO and founder of a small company called Local Motors. In partnership with the US Department of Energy, Cincinnati Inc., and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, they were able manufacture the world's first 3D printed electric car within a single year. This car is entirely made out of ABS plastic and reinforced carbon and can reach a top speed of 50mph. It also has an automatic transmission with a 3.5 hour charge time for a 6.1 kwh battery, that enables the drive range to extend to about 62 miles.

This is an amazing example of what the American spirit of innovation can inspire. If it were not for WAIP, I would not have had such a great opportunity.

- Nick Lascu

Another Day at the Office... White House Fall Garden Tour

I had the pleasure of taking some WAIP buddies to the biannual White House Garden Tour at the People's House a few weekends ago. First Lady Patricia Nixon first opened the South Lawn for these seasonal tours over 40 years ago, giving the public an intimate glimpse of what all is rooted in these historic grounds.

The tour featured the Jackie Kennedy Garden in front of the East Wing, the Rose Garden in front of West Colonnade, the First Lady's Vegetable Garden, and the White House Kitchen Garden, as well as the stunning magnolia trees planted by President Andrew Jackson. A commemorative tree of choice is planted on the grounds during each president's tenure in office, a symbol of growth and longevity that mirrors their distinguished seat of government.

Jen, Molly and I on the far end of the South Lawn.

The White House Kitchen Garden. 

View of the Rose Garden in front of the West Wing. 

Standing on the South Lawn is a surreal feeling. From Marine One Departures, to the annual Easter Egg roll, to greeting various Heads of States; the South Lawn is reserved for events of a certain significance. To be a part of that prestige, if even for a moment, is magical.

The South Side of the Executive Residents, flanked by two magnolia trees.

Learn more about the history of the White House grounds at the White House Historical Association here.

- Sarah Montell

Supreme Court

2nd Blog Post: Katie Gibbons

On Tuesday October 7^th I went to the Supreme Court.  When visiting the Supreme Court, there are two lines: one line for people who want to sit for the entire hearing and a second line for people who just want to see court in session, in which you get to enter for three minutes and leave.  Seating for the entire first hearing started at 9:30AM for the general public.  Lawyers and courtroom staff were allowed to enter before the general public and influenced the amount of people that would be allowed in.  Unfortunately, for the first hearing, only about 25 general public people got to enter to sit in on the entire hearing and I did not make it in. 

The second case of the day, the one that I got to witness, was Dart Cherokee Basin v. Owens.  The question presented to the Supreme Court was “is a defendant seeking removal of a case to federal court required to provide evidence supporting federal jurisdiction in the notice of removal?”  By the time that the general public was able to enter the hearing, after being processed through security and briefed, the hearing was already over half way completed.  However, we got to witness about 25 minutes of the hearing.  We got to go into the courtroom, which was absolutely beautiful.  I got to see all nine Justices and hear their comments and questions for the attorney. Throughout the hearing, I kept thinking about how intimidating it would be to be the attorney arguing before the Justices.  Several of the Justices, as well as the arguing attorney, made sarcastic comments that made the entire courtroom laugh, which was something that I was not expecting, but it made the hearing fun.  After the hearing, there was a large media presence out front of the Supreme Court.  Even though my visit to the Supreme Court did not go as smoothly as it was planned, I still really enjoyed the experience of getting to witness the Court in session.