Industry Affiliates Program

About the Industry Affiliates Program

The Industry Affiliates Program (IAP) at the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy is a member-based program designed to catalyze collaboration between industry and Northwestern University, with a focus on decarbonization and the energy transition.

IAP members are comprised of partner companies—both large and small—from across the decarbonization value chain. By connecting industry members with Northwestern’s world-class researchers and students, the IAP accelerates the discovery, deployment, and scaling of sustainable solutions. For more information, contact us. 

The IAP provides opportunities for:

• R&D ideation sessions and workshops
• Curated engagement with Northwestern’s ecosystem of research and innovation
• Collaborative R&D road mapping
• Joint grant development
• Student/postdoc networking

The IAP is built around the Trienens Institute Six Pillars of Decarbonization, which reflect areas of high impact for university-industry collaboration. Each pillar has an associated Decarbonization Working Group (DWG), which is co-chaired by leading Northwestern faculty members and includes a team of researchers focused on the topic. IAP members have an opportunity to engage with, learn from, and inform DWGs.

Trienens Institute IAP membership is open to regional, national, and global companies across all levels of the value chain. Contributions from members are made in the form of a tax-deductible gift to Northwestern’s Trienens Institute. Through the IAP, these companies gain access to cutting-edge research, faculty expertise, and a student recruiting pipeline. In addition, IAP members are offered membership in the Trienens Institute Executive Council, a philanthropic advisory board of individuals and organizations principally involved in sustainability and energy initiatives. In turn, Northwestern researchers are informed and supported by industry insights, joint funding proposals and opportunities to scale and deploy solutions.