Gov. McAuliffe Appoints ODU Pres. Broderick to Offshore Wind Development Authority

September 22, 2014

John R. Broderick

Old Dominion University President John R. Broderick was recently appointed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe to the Virginia Offshore Wind Development Authority.

McAuliffe made the announcement Friday afternoon along with several other appointments to his administration.

"The appointees will join McAuliffe's administration focused on finding common ground with members of both parties to build a new Virginia economy and create more jobs across the Commonwealth," a governor's office statement said.

According to the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME), the state's wind development authority was established to facilitate, coordinate and support the development of the offshore wind energy industry, offshore wind energy projects and related supply chain opportunities.

Researchers at ODU have been working on several fronts to collect and analyze data in order to prepare the way for electricity-producing wind farms off the Atlantic coast.

The university's Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography (CCPO) is particularly well situated and staffed to answer some of the fundamental questions that government and industry have about design requirements for offshore wind projects on the East Coast. Wind farm research has also been done in the Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology, looking for better design of wind turbine blades.

For one DMME project, ODU oceanographers examined wind conditions at several locations in southeastern Virginia that the state is considering as sites for test turbine/towers.

President Broderick has served as the eighth president of Old Dominion University since 2008. He guides the university's six colleges, more than 10 economic development and research centers, and numerous partnerships with government, military and business organizations and agencies.

President Broderick also serves as one of six college presidents on the Governor's Commission on Higher Education Reform, Innovation and Investment; and in 2012 was appointed to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Council of State Representatives. In addition, he served on the NCAA board of directors, as chair of the President's Football Championship Series advisory committee and currently serves on the NCAA Division I Committee on Institutional Performance.