2025 Kansas Economic Policy Conference – Powering the Future of Kansas

What opportunities do innovations in energy offer to communities facing the challenges of climate change? What impacts do communities need to grapple with as they adopt large-scale energy installations? How can Kansas prepare for a future without fossil fuel?

During the 2025 Kansas Economic Policy Conference, scholars, business and community leaders, and policymakers discussed the rich opportunities and tough challenges facing Kansas as we transition to a new energy landscape.

Keynotes

Welcome & Introduction

Speaker TBD

Title TBD

Donna Ginther, director, Institute for Policy & Social Research, Roy A. Roberts and Regents Distinguished Professor, Department of Economics, University of Kansas

Research Presentations

Title TBD

Justin Hutchison, associate professor, Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering, University of Kansas

Title TBD

Jude Kastens, associate research professor, Kansas Applied Remote Sensing, Kansas Biology Survey & Center for Ecological Research, University of Kansas

Title TBD

Speaker TBD

Conversation: Rural Water

Introduction

TBD

Panelists

Paul Johnson, policy analyst, Kansas Rural Center; Lucas Bessire, professor of Anthropology; Clay Scott, farmer, Grant County

Moderator

TBD

Conversation: Water and Policy

Introduction

TBD

Panelists

Vijay Ramasamy, special advisor for water, Office of Kansas Governor Laura Kelly; Jim Minnix, Kansas state representative, district 118, Chair, House Committee on Water; Sandy Pickert, Kansas state representative, district 88, House Committee on Water; Rui Xu, Kansas state representative, district 25; Kenny Titus, Kansas state senator, district 18; Julie Lorenz, Principal Consultant, 1898 & Co.

Moderator

TBD