Student-Led Panel Confronts AI’s Growing Need for Energy

Students in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) at Stony Brook University hosted a panel titled “AI and Sustainability: Can AI’s Energy Demands Be Sustained?” on April 27 in the Sidney Gelber Auditorium.

• Event organization and participants: The event was created and organized by students in SoMAS through the SUS 401 capstone course taught by Senior Lecturer Tara Rider; panelists were Hendrik Hamann (Professor of Atmospheric Sciences; AI chief scientist, Brookhaven National Laboratory), Nina Kshetry (President, Ensaras), and Aaron Miller (Eastern Regional Manager, SHARC Energy).

  • Date: April 27, 2026
  • Location: Sidney Gelber Auditorium, Stony Brook University

• Content and key facts presented: Panelists discussed the energy, water and infrastructure demands of AI and data centers, including technical and operational responses such as wastewater energy recovery and heat reuse; speakers emphasized that solutions require coordination of technology, policy, economics and community impact and highlighted workforce and domain expertise needs.