Energy Resources at Penn
Penn is committed to being a world-leading energy and sustainability research institute, having made energy one of its four priority STEM research areas. In recent years, the university has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into its Energy and Sustainability Initiative. This focus and investment have resulted in numerous energy resources being made available to undergraduate students, some exclusively for VIPER students. The following is a list of energy resources and opportunities that Penn offers.
Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology
The Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology (VIEST) is a collaboration between the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences that promotes integrative basic research aimed at meeting the world’s present and future energy needs. VIEST is a core part of Penn's commitment to being a world leader in energy research, providing grants and fellowships to energy researchers.
Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology
The Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology (VLEST) is a new $173 million, 110,000 square feet facility slated for completion in Fall 2024. VLEST will house both VIEST and VIPER. VLEST facilities will include:
- High Performance Optics Labs
- Fume-Intensive Chemistry Labs
- A Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer Suite with Helium Recovery
- Student Researcher Write-up Space
- Shared administrative suite for VIEST and VIPER
- The VIPER Lounge
Kleinman Center for Energy Policy
The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy (KCEP) is Penn’s energy policy research institute. KCEP supports energy policy at Penn through the following avenues:
- Providing funding for Penn’s world-leading energy policy research projects (including some that VIPER students have worked on!)
- Writing widely-referenced reports on energy policy (including some written by VIPER students!)
- Hosting an energy policy podcast, workshops, lectures, and seminars
- Developing students through an energy policy blog competition, an undergraduate student seminar (which many VIPER students have been accepted into!), summer fellowships, and internships
Academic Opportunities
- Energy Courses
- SAS Minor in Sustainability and Environmental Management
- SEAS Minor in Energy and Sustainability
Student Organizations