**Due to incliment weather, this event is postponed to a future date. Please reference the event organizer, Penn Engineering, for future updates.
Vanessa Chan, the Jonathan and Linda Brassington Practice Professor in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) and Vice Dean of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Penn Engineering, is hosting the premiere of the documentary Legion 44. Special guests include Leila Conners, the film’s director and producer, and Dr. Max Pisciotta, a featured climate scientist in the film and a Penn Engineering alumnus.
About Legion 44:
Legion 44 chronicles young visionaries, from all over the world, who are inventing groundbreaking solutions to combat climate disruption. From Tuvalu’s fight to preserve its culture amid rising seas to innovations in carbon removal using rocks, water, and carbon, the film showcases human ingenuity and collaboration across the globe. Narrated by Walton Goggins, with stunning visuals and a hopeful score, this love letter to humanity journeys through Oman, Kenya, Morocco, St. Vincent, and more, asking: can we scale these solutions in time to save our planet? Directed by Leila Conners, it’s her third climate-focused film following The 11th Hour and Ice on Fire.
Vanessa Chan (host)
Jonathan and Linda Brassington Practice Professor, Materials Science and Engineering Vice Dean of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Penn Engineering
Vanessa Chan is an accomplished entrepreneur, angel investor, speaker and educator renowned for her expertise in innovation and entrepreneurship at the intersection of technology and business. Under President Biden, Vanessa served as the Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of the Office of Technology Transitions at the U.S. Department of Energy.
In this role, she was instrumental in nationally advancing clean energy technologies, notably through the "Pathways to Commercial Liftoff" reports, which provided roadmaps for decarbonizing various sectors, including geothermal and hydrogen. In recognition of her work, Time named her as one of the world’s 100 most influential business leaders in climate in the Time100 Climate 2024 list.
Vanessa earned her Ph.D. from MIT and a B.S.E. from the University of Pennsylvania, both in Materials Science and Engineering, and holds three patents.
Leila Conners (Special Guest)
Director and Producer
Legion 44
Leila Conners, founder of Tree Media, is a filmmaker and storyteller dedicated to promoting human and environmental well-being. She has directed five documentary films, including Ice on Fire (HBO, Cannes 2019) and The 11th Hour (Cannes 2007), and is currently working on her sixth, Legion 44. Leila’s work spans over 100 media projects, collaborating with global institutions like NASA, the UN, and Harvard University. She is also a published author and frequent speaker on sustainability and environmental issues, recently receiving an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the American University in Paris.
Max Pisciotta (Special Guest)
Featured Climate Scientist and Penn Engineering Alumnus
Legion 44
Dr. Max Pisciotta is a climate-focused scientist and educator whose work bridges cutting-edge research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and impactful storytelling. With a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, Max’s expertise spans carbon management,industrial decarbonization, and equitable climate solutions. As Lead Scientist and Education Strategist for Legion 44, they develop educational resources to inspire actionable change. Max has collaborated with organizations like the International Energy Agency and Carbon Removal Standards Initiative, contributing to decarbonization strategies and standards. Their published works reflect a commitment to advancing scalable solutions for carbon removal and sustainable energy.