We are pleased to share that Dr. Damena Agonafer participated in a panel on responsible data center development at the third annual Maryland Data Center Summit, featured by the Maryland Tech Council. The discussion brought together perspectives on how Maryland can meet growing infrastructure needs while supporting communities and environmental sustainability.

Moderated by J.D. Lambert, the panel included Chris Baughman, Dr. Agonafer, Chris Cleet, and John Peterson. Their conversation examined sustainability, water use, energy demand, backup power, and the environmental impacts of data center development. It also addressed the importance of balancing economic growth with community needs and long-term infrastructure goals across the state.

These topics connect closely with NEIT Lab’s work on thermal management and advanced cooling technologies for data centers. As computing demands grow, understanding the relationships between cooling, energy, and water use remains central to developing more sustainable infrastructure.

We are proud to see Dr. Agonafer contribute to this conversation alongside leaders working to shape Maryland’s data center future. Thank you to the Maryland Tech Council for highlighting this important discussion and bringing together voices from across the data center community.