The Earth Institute's Lenfest Center for Sustainble Energy presents "Reinventing the Automobile: Personal Mobility for the 21st Century," with Larry Burns, Former Vice President of Research & Development, General Motors and introductory remarks by Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute, Columbia University.  Open to the public.

 On October 1, 2009, Larry Burns completed a distinguished career with General Motors, serving as corporate vice president of Research & Development. In addition to driving innovation into today's vehicles, Burns led GM's development of a new automotive “DNA” that marries electrically driven and “connected vehicle” technologies.  The goal is to realize sustainable personal mobility with smart vehicles that are aspirational and affordable.  He has been a major voice for the “reinvention” of the automobile and the diversification of transportation energy.  Within GM, he personally championed vehicle electrification, “connected” vehicles, fuel cells, bio-fuels, advanced batteries, autonomous driving, and a series of innovative concept vehicles.  He has been a leading advocate for design and technology innovation focused on the total customer experience and the application of operations research.  Burns holds a Ph.D. in civil engineering from the University of California at Berkeley, where he is a member of the Advisory Council for its Institute of Transportation Studies.  Burns recently completed a book (with Professor William J. Mitchell, MIT, and Christopher E. Borroni-Bird, General Motors) entitled Reinventing the Automobile: Personal Urban Mobility for the 21^st Century.  It is scheduled for publication in January 2010.

For more information on the Lenfest Center visit www.energy.columbia.edu

For more information on the Earth Institute visit www.earth.columbia.edu

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