Monday, March 2, 2026, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | University of Maryland | Stamp Student Union
The Center for Environmental Energy Engineering (CEEE) is pleased to announce a technical workshop focused on the emerging megawatt-rack data center paradigm and its implications for energy systems, thermal management and infrastructure design.
The Megawatt Rack Data Center: Opportunities, Challenges and Technology Gaps will bring together researchers, industry professionals and practitioners to explore growth opportunities, technical challenges and critical research gaps associated with high-power-density data centers. The workshop will cover a broad range of topics, including fundamental concepts, real-world applications, state-of-the-art research developments and future research needs.
This in-person workshop is designed for engineers, researchers, data center professionals and policymakers interested in the next generation of high-performance, sustainable data center technologies. There will be ample opportunities for technical exchange, discussion and collaboration. Our dynamic lineup of sessions includes:
You'll also have the opportunity to network with stakeholders over a catered lunch and coffee breaks.
Our distinguished speakers and panelists include cross-sector experts from industry, academia, and government. Hear insights from representatives of the following organizations:
Peter de Bock is vice president of data center energy and cooling at Eaton Corporation. Dr. de Bock previously served as program director at ARPA-E, where he developed the COOLERCHIPS program, focused on advancing data center cooling technology, and managed the ASCEND program, focused on developing the world’s most power dense propulsion technologies architectures. Prior to this role, he served as principal engineer, thermosciences, and platform leader, power and thermal management systems, at General Electric Research. Dr. de Bock holds 68 patents and applications and is a fellow of ASME, a senior member of IEEE and a member of ASHRAE.
Birthe Kjellerup is a professor at the University of Maryland in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering with secondary appointments in the Fischell Department of Bioengineering and in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the A. James Clark School of Engineering. For over 25 years, Dr. Kjellerup has specialized in beneficial and detrimental aspects of microbial communities with a focus on biofouling, biocorrosion, opportunistic pathogens and breakdown of toxic compounds. Dr. Kjellerup is a senior editor for the journal Biofilm (Elsevier), holds leadership roles at the American Society for Microbiology, and is one of two appointed commissioners from Maryland of the Interstate Commission for the Potomac River Basin.
F. Patrick McCluskey is a full professor and interim chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he is associated with the CALCE Research Center. He has over 30 years of research experience in the areas of thermal management, reliability and packaging of electronic systems for use in harsh environments. Dr. McCluskey holds five U.S. patents and has co-authored three books and approximately 200 peer-reviewed technical articles. He is the principal investigator for a $4 million multi-university ARPA-E program to develop MOSTCOOL, a multi-objective decision support software package for the design of data center cooling systems. He is a senior member and member of the board of governors of the IEEE Electronic Packaging Society, a fellow of IMAPS, winner of the 2025 IMAPS Outstanding Educator award, and a member of ASME, MRS and ASEE.
Vance Peterson is a solutions architect with Schneider Electric. An industry veteran, Mr. Peterson brings over 30 years of experience working with end users, OEMs and service providers, supporting mission-critical facilities and data centers. His expertise spans both electrical and mechanical engineering, and he excels in balancing risk and operational management, making him an indispensable asset in the design and delivery of products and services for data centers. He collaborates with a team of highly skilled professionals to deliver cutting-edge and innovative solutions for data centers. Prior to joining Schneider Electric, Mr. Peterson was an operating partner at a life-cycle services company, where he specialized in the design, construction and operation of mission-critical facilities and systems across North America.
Laurent Pilon is associate director for technology and program director at ARPA-E, with interest in data center cooling, energy storage, advanced materials and manufacturing. Dr. Pilon is also a professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Jenifer Shafer is a professor at the Colorado School of Mines and the inaugural Ben L. Fryrear Presidential Chair in Energy. Dr. Shafer recently completed a five-year tenure at ARPA-E, where as program director and associate director for technology, she oversaw a >$100M R&D portfolio and focused program development for the agency. Notably, she directed the GEMINA program, pioneering the use of digital technologies and advanced O&M strategies to radically decrease the capital and operating costs of advanced reactors. An ACS Fellow and expert in f-element chemistry, Dr. Shafer currently leads strategic efforts to secure the domestic nuclear fuel supply chain. Her expertise in fuel cycle separations and reactor cost-optimization is critical for scaling the high-density, resilient power sources required to support megawatt-scale data center infrastructure and the global deployment of advanced reactor fleets.
Gokul V. Shankaran is an applications engineer, senior architect at Synopsys, Inc. Mr. Shankaran has been studying the application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in the field of electronics thermal management (ETM) for over 25 years. His research interests include liquid cooling, reduced order modeling (ROM) and electro-thermal analysis – topics that play important roles in both predictive cooling design and functional definition of data centers. Mutual improvement through mutual feedback between experimental design and engineering simulations has been a key component of his career.
Registration has closed; limited spaces may be available. To inquire, please contact Leanne Poteet, lpoteet@umd.edu.
Adele H. Stamp Student Union
Atrium (First Floor)
3972 Campus Drive
University of Maryland
College Park, Maryland 20742
The closest airports are Baltimore/Washington International (25 miles/40 km), Reagan National (16 miles/26 km) and Dulles International Airport (37 miles/60 km). All three airports are serviced by taxis and rideshare services. Reagan National offers easy access to Metrorail service to College Park.
Metrorail from Reagan National Airport: Take the YELLOW line toward Mount Vernon Square. Exit at Gallery Place and transfer to the GREEN line toward Greenbelt. Exit at the College Park Metro Station. A complimentary shuttle bus (Shuttle-UM) goes from Bay E of the metro station to the main campus.
Access step-by-step directions on how to reach the Adele H. Stamp Student Union by car or train (Metrorail, MARC, Amtrak).
Visitor Parking is available at the Regents Drive Garage. Current rates are $4 per hour, with a $20 daily maximum. Please pay with a credit/debit card or through the Parkmobile app. Additional visitor parking is available in the Stadium Garage.
Please note that Union Lane Garage will have only limited spaces available.
See the full visitor parking map.
The following hotels are closest to our facilities:
The Hotel at The University of Maryland
College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
Find additional accommodations in the vicinity.
For more information, please contact CEEE program manager Leanne Poteet at lpoteet@umd.edu.