Leading United States energy, economics and geology experts will gather at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy to discuss "The Shale Revolution: What Do We Know Now and Where Are We Going?" Hosted by the institute's Center for Energy Studies (CES) and sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the conference is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

CES is engaged in a study to assess the local and global market impacts of proposed and possible policy actions on the development of shale resources in North America. The study is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The Sloan Foundation has also funded numerous research projects at other institutions to contribute to a deeper understanding of the shale resources and their potential long-term impacts.

The conference will feature speakers from Rice University, the University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology, Resources for the Future, the Environmental Defense Fund, the University of Colorado-Denver and Duke University. The speakers will present the latest research on characterizing shale resources and recovery, the environmental impacts of shale development, public perception and policy motivation in different parts of the country and the economic implications of shale development and associated policy interventions.