Professor Anna Korre announced as new Co-Director of Energy Futures Lab

Energy Futures Lab have announced the appointment of Professor Anna Korre of the Department of Earth Science and Engineering as their new Co-Director.

Professor Korre joins Energy Futures Lab’s management team as Co-Director alongside current Director, now Co-Director, Professor Tim Green. She currently heads the Minerals Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Group, which is developing engineering solutions to the supply of clean energy, the sustainable production of natural resources, and mitigating environmental impacts and risks.

“Energy provision poses complex problems for industry, society and policy makers,” says Professor Korre. “I am delighted to be joining Energy Futures Lab as it has enjoyed a long and successful track record in addressing these challenges, alongside offering an outstanding educational program through the MSc in Sustainable Energy Futures.”

Energy Futures Lab is Imperial College London’s energy institute. It was founded in 2005 to develop multidisciplinary, cross-faculty collaborations to tackle the broad range of energy challenges that the world faces.

“Myself, and the rest of the team, are delighted to welcome Anna as Co-Director. She has a very impressive track record at the College and within the scientific community” says Professor Green, “I know she will bring a lot of enthusiasm and new ideas so we can continue to build on our successes.”

Professor Korre joined Imperial in 1993 as a Marie Sklodowska Curie Research Fellow in what was then known as the Department of Earth Resources Engineering, having completed her BSc in Geology at the University of Athens. Since then she has risen steadily through the department gaining her chair in Environmental Engineering in 2015. During that time she has led and instigated numerous industry, Research Council and EU funded projects.

"I believe that adding Anna to the leadership team at Energy Futures Lab will bolster the already fantastic work being done there," says Professor Nick Jennings, Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise) at Imperial, "I am sure her experience, connections and zeal will further strengthen the College's position as research leaders in the energy field."

Energy Futures Lab has been led by Professor Tim Green since 2014 having taken over from Professor Nigel Brandon, the current Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial. Over the last 13 years it has been instrumental in a wide range of high profile energy initiatives at the College including QCCSRC, the Urban Energy Systems project, and the founding of the Sustainable Gas Institute.

“I believe modern international corporations and governments alike need to be competitive, manage risks, have access to resources, as well as employ practitioners who can plan and deliver the energy that powers our lives,” explains Professor Korre, “It is also necessary to minimise the footprint of energy provision on the environment and consider the legacy of our choices for future generations. This is the perfect environment for Imperial to make an impact, led by Energy Futures Lab.”

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She joins the institute at a very opportune time as Energy Futures Lab and the College have had a wide range of successes in the energy sphere recently. These include IDLES, a new £7m programme grant from EPSRC, a series of Briefing Papers, being a founding member of the Faraday Institution and funding for projects supporting communities in developing countries, powering trains with trackside solar panels and using electric vehicles to provide storage for the electricity grid.

“As Co-Director of Energy Futures Lab, I will be looking to devise new opportunities to serve the industry, governments and society through high quality research, evidence and advocacy for positive change,” says Professor Korre, “I will also aim to increase the institute’s community role at the College and strengthen the perception that as a Global Institute it belongs to all and the College academic community foremost.”

Professor Korre’s appointment is effective immediately.