AFGSC energy group visits Louisiana Tech

Published April 24, 2012
By Carla Pampe
Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs

RUSTON, La. -- Members of the Air Force Global Strike Command Energy Management Steering Group visited Louisiana Tech University, in Ruston, La., April 20 to hear presentations on some of the university's green energy initiatives, as well as tour its Institute for Micromanufacturing.

"The purpose of the trip was to gain a better understanding of the type of activity Louisiana Tech has ongoing in the areas of energy management and conservation," said Mike Cummins, AFGSC resource efficiency manager. "Since this type of activity is one of the basic responsibilities of the AFGSC Energy Management Steering Group, it's important to understand what activity is being undertaken in the research and development community."

The group was welcomed by Dr. Les Guice, Vice President of Research and Development at Louisiana Tech.

"We are very excited about your visit," Guice said. "If we can leave here with two or three points of interaction where we can serve you, serve the Air Force, and serve Air Force Global Strike Command, this will be a success."

During his welcome remarks, Guice highlighted several projects Louisiana Tech professors and students are currently working on, including the development of a nuclear detection and containment suite of nano-enhanced polymers, gas-to-liquid fuels and thermal research for energy security and sustainability.

"One of our real strengths is linking our academic and research programs," Guice said. "We currently have partnerships with the Air Force Research Lab, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research among others."

Maj. Gen. Everett Thomas, vice commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, praised the work Louisiana Tech has done to support the Department of Defense.

"Louisiana Tech has had a partnership with the United States military for a long time," the general said. "I wanted to bring our group here today to see first-hand some of the things you are doing, and to get them thinking about ways this technology could be used to conserve energy and increase efficiency in some of the ways we do business."

In addition to hearing presentations from subject matter experts on current initiatives, the group visited a gas-to-liquid energy production facility to see a test reactor that is currently producing diesel fuel, as well as JP-8, which the military uses in its aircraft.

"With [Louisiana] Tech being located so close to Barksdale and one of the premier research universities in the country, it just makes sense to reach out to the university and determine where the mutual points of interest might lie between them and the Air Force," Cummins said.