Green Futures Forum

October 2, 2025, 6:00-8:00 PM at the Santa Rita Suites in the Texas Union Building 3.502

This forum is at the heart of the LEC mission, bringing together professionals from all disciplines to discuss energy. At this topical event, the discussion focuses on energy and the environment from education, policy, and law perspectives.

We have 11 guest speakers at this forum! Indigo Keener (Geoscience '26) will be discussing lithium extraction for the Texas-to-X Student Speaker Series, and two of our guests will discuss energy and environmental education. We will then host a fireside discussion with our 10 professional guests and a networking mixer to discuss career paths in the energy/environmental space for aspiring lawyers, policymakers, environmental professionals, state or federal regulators, educators, and much more. 

The full line-up includes:

1) Roger Borgelt, Principal and CEO at Borgelt Law

2) John McFarland, Attorney at Graves, Dougherty, Hearon, and Moody

3) Melinda Taylor, Professor at UT Austin Law (Former Director of the Ecosystem Restoration Program of Environmental Defense)

4) Barry Smitherman, Professor at UT Austin Law (Former Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission)

5) Adrian Shelley, Director at Texas Office of Public Citizen

6) Zach Baumer, Director at City of Austin Office of Sustainability

7) Ramiro Garcia, Analyst at Texas Control of Environmental Quality

8) Jim Walker, Director of Sustainability at UT Austin

9) Darien Clary, Director of Sustainability at Austin ISD

10) Calvin Clary, Bee Hive Project Director at Austin ISD