Overview

The Program in Sustainable Energy is designed for Princeton undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing careers or graduate education in the area of Sustainable Energy Science and Technology.  Students completing the program can expect to achieve:

1. An understanding of current energy resources, carriers, end users, technologies, and their impact on climate and environment.
2. The ability to quantitatively analyze, design, and develop innovative energy systems and technologies that support sustainable economic growth, energy security, biological diversity, and environmental harmony for life on Earth.
3. An understanding of Earth, global climate, and environmental change from the perspective of engineering, technology, economics, and policy.

The future of societies, the global economy, and the global environment depend on collaborative research into renewable energy, alternative fuels, advanced energy conversion and storage systems, technology transfer to developing countries, and prudent judgment on policies to support sustainable energy technology. Innovations and inventions require multi-disciplinary approaches and entrepreneurship, as well as grounding in theory and practice, in topics that are not covered by a single department. This certificate program offers an integrated set of core and elective courses, introducing students to fundamental concepts, providing depth in specific fields of interest, gaining laboratory and site visit experiences, and setting the stage for further work in the field. Students are encouraged to expand their experience through summer internships with companies, government agencies, national and university laboratories, and Princeton faculty.

Admission to the Program

The program is open to sophomores, juniors and seniors at Princeton University who have a satisfactory background in engineering and science. Normally, students should have successfully completed MAT103, MAT104, PHY103, PHY104 (or their equivalents, including AP equivalents). Students who have slightly different preparation should consult with the Program Director to discuss eligibility. A student planning to earn the program certificate should complete the Program Enrollment Form as early as possible, but no later than the mid-point of the fall term of his or her junior year. Application for admission is made to the Program Committee. Upon acceptance to the program, the Program Director will recommend a program advisor to the student to assist in planning a program of study, research, and off-campus internship.