The Institute for Community and Society Transformation (ICAST) and the Native Nation Center for Tribal Policy Research (NNC-TPR) hosted the U.S. Department of Energy's Fossil Energy and Carbon Management Tribal Working Group (FECM-TWG) on September 23-25 for their quarterly meeting. The Federal Government holds treaty obligations and a trust responsibility to uphold Tribal sovereignty and support the revitalization of Tribal communities, including efforts in economic growth and energy development. In response, the Department of Energy formed the FECM-TWG in the Fall of 2024. Through outreach and coordination, this group helps to ensure that Tribes can access available funding and resources to utilize the development of Tribal energy resources for sustainable Tribal economies.
During this meeting, the FECM-TWG had the opportunity to learn about some of the innovative energy and carbon management research at the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Steven Crossley discussed a recent NSF project to develop new technology for utilizing methane as a feedstock for hydrogen production and Dr. Tim Filley discussed work on methane detection and management. The FECM-TWG attended part of the College of Earth and Energy's Enchanced Oil Recovery and Carbon Management Symposium. They also toured the Oklahoma Geological Survey labs (Dr. Carrie Miller-DeBoer) as well as the Integrated Core Characterization Center (IC3) labs (Dr. Son Dang and Dr. Mark Curtis).
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
Pejman Kazempoor, an associate professor at the University of Oklahoma’s School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, has been recognized for his commitment to addressing methane emissions and providing a cleaner world.
Muhammad Furqan, M.D., professor of hematology-oncology at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and Associate Director of Clinical Research at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, is leading a national clinical trial evaluating whether immunotherapy can improve outcomes for patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) following surgery.
The Native Nations Center for Tribal Policy Research at the University of Oklahoma will launch its first Sovereign Policy Intensive in September, a new program designed for elected tribal officials that focuses on understanding broadly relevant federal systems grounded in departmental structures, legislation and appropriations, and legal frameworks.
