what we do
The PSIEE promotes Penn State's interdisciplinary energy and environmental enterprise through a wide variety of activities. Among them are the:
- Hiring of new faculty;
- Financial support of faculty developing multiple large-scale research proposals;
- Sponsorship of an undergraduate Environmental Inquiry minor;
- Matching funds for individual proposals;
- Sponsorship of graduate and undergraduate training;
- Coordination of research and teaching infrastructure;
- Oversight of an energy and environmental science policy forum;
- Coordination of Research Theme Committees;
- Proposal preparation and sponsored research management services;
- Monitoring of funding opportunities and their communication to faculty;
- Communication with government and non-government sponsors; and
- Promotion of Penn State's energy and environmental capabilities through our web site, our listservs, our newsletter, and through outreach to sponsors.
Key Initiatives
The PSIEE provides support for the development of new project initiatives. Recent initiatives include:
- Recruitment and hiring of at least 25 new faculty positions in energy science, engineering, and policy during the next 3 years as part of the University’s new energy initiative.
- Establishment of a major research alliance with Chevron Energy Technology Company to research coal conversion technologies.
- Support for the BioEconomy Bridge to Innovation, bringing stakeholders together to address the critical need for integrating research and technology development for the next generation bioenergy and bioproducts.
- Support for the Hydrogen Energy Center, whose activities span energy production, biofuels, transportation, green engineering, and sustainable technologies.