The Energy Institute of Alabama (EIA) on Tuesday announced the addition of Alabama Transportation Institute (ATI) executive director Dr. Allen Parrish as EIA’s newest senior policy advisor.
According to a release, Parrish in this role will provide expert guidance to EIA as the organization continues serving as the leading voice and advocate for public policies that ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy for Alabamians.
“The addition of Dr. Parrish’s experience, expertise and voice as a Senior Policy Advisor will greatly benefit EIA for years to come. His accomplishments speak for themselves, and we are grateful for his vision and ongoing commitment to the people and economy of Alabama,” stated EIA Chairman Seth Hammett, the former speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives.
Parrish began his career at the University of Alabama, where he worked for 26 years as a professor of Computer Science and ultimately served as the founding director of the Center for Advanced Public Safety.
In 2016, Parrish left the university to become the founding chair of the Cyber Security Program at the U.S. Naval Academy. He most recently served as the associate vice president for Research at Mississippi State University before coming to back to UA in February as ATI executive director.
“Here at the Alabama Transportation Institute, we are focused on innovative research solutions to build and maintain a transportation system that propels Alabama forward by increasing safety, furthering economic growth and conserving our energy resources,” Parrish said in a statement.
“Whether it’s smart cities, electric vehicles, freight delivery efficiency or simply ensuring quality roads and bridges, we are committed to a 21st century transportation system that supports our state’s economic vitality,” he continued.
Parrish joins a distinguished team of senior policy advisors that are helping to further EIA’s important mission, such as former PSC President Jim Sullivan (The Sullivan Group), Dr. Steven Taylor (Auburn University, Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts) and Oliver Kingsley (Auburn University, College of Engineering).
“EIA, ATI and the state of Alabama are lucky to have someone like Dr. Parrish leading the collaborative transportation efforts and policy development that continues to modernize our state’s transportation system,” commented Alabama Power Company’s Houston Smith, who serves as the EIA vice-chairman. “We fully support these efforts and modern infrastructure initiatives, like electric vehicles, that are major drivers of our state’s economy.”
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
