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Secure Energy Initiative

Technical Interchange Meeting

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Sept. 2, 2026 | Noon to 5 p.m.

Engage, connect and explore opportunities

Kansas State University is uniquely positioned to help lead these efforts through its land-grant mission, multidisciplinary strengths and strategic focus on enabling technologies.

The Secure Energy Initiative's Technical Interchange Meeting will bring together external stakeholders and the K-State community to share perspectives, identify opportunities and build support for initiatives that will strengthen energy security, reliability and economic competition across Kansas and beyond.

Why It Matters

Reliable, affordable and secure energy is foundational to agricultural productivity, economic growth, infrastructure reliability, and community resilience. As Kansas faces increasing grid complexity, aging energy assets, rising affordability concerns and growing interest in energy-intensive industries such as data centers, there is a critical need for collaborative solutions that address both current and future energy challenges.

Why Attend

Connect with industry leaders, faculty and community partners addressing energy challenges.
Identify collaborators for interdisciplinary research, outreach and deployment projects.
Share priorities and explore solutions to pressing energy challenges.
Build partnerships that accelerate innovation, workforce development and technology adoption.
Position collaborative teams for future SEI funding and long-term impact.

Registration

Registration closes on Aug. 26. Registration for abstract consideration is required by Aug. 20.

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Keynote Speakers

Al Tamimi, Ph.D., P.E.

Sr. VP and Chief Operations Officer Transmission | Sunflower Electric Power Corporation

Al Tamimi, Ph.D., P.E., serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Transmission for Sunflower Electric Power Corporation headquartered in Hays, Kansas. In this role, he is responsible for leading transmission operations, engineering, transmission planning, transmission policy, and NERC/CIP compliance programs. His primary areas of focus include transmission cost allocation, long-term transmission planning, market policy development, and strategic initiatives that impact both the transmission system and Sunflower’s member organizations.

He holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in electrical engineering from Kansas State University.

He is a senior member in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) society and has been a licensed professional engineer in the state of Kansas since 2005.

David Campbell

Chairman, President and CEO | Evergy, Inc.

David Campbell joined Evergy in January 2021 as President and CEO and was appointed Chairman in May 2024. Under Campbell’s leadership, Evergy focuses on providing safe, affordable, and reliable electric service to its 1.7 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. Campbell and his team are dedicated to ensuring that Evergy provides a rewarding and professional work environment for employees and engages as a trusted partner in the communities Evergy serves.

Prior to joining Evergy, Campbell served in executive leadership roles at Vistra Corp, the largest competitive power generator in the United States, as well as InfraREIT and TXU Corp. He was a partner at McKinsey & Company before joining TXU in 2004.

Active in the community and the power industry, Campbell serves on the boards of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), ESCO Technologies, Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC), and the Truman Library Institute (TLI). Campbell is currently chair of EEI, co-chair of KCADC, and vice chair of TLI. Campbell is also a member of the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City and the Leadership Council of the Yale School of the Environment.

Campbell is a graduate of Yale University, Oxford University, and Harvard Law School.

Agenda

Wednesday, Sept. 2

11:30 a.m.

Check-in and Lunch Buffet

Bistro

Noon to 1:45 p.m.

Program

Welcome
Keynotes
Panel discussion
Introduction of the initiative

1:45 - 2 p.m.

Break

2 - 3:15 p.m.

Working Group Lightning Updates

3:15 - 5 p.m.

Poster Presentations and Networking

Presenting a poster is a requirement for submitting a SEI funding proposal. Only K-State personnel are eligible. Registration for attendance and abstract consideration is required by Aug. 20. For more information, contact Amir Bahadori at bahadori@k-state.edu.

5 p.m.