Trienens Institute R&D Pillars
Spanning the entire University, the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy works at the intersection of technical and social sciences.
The Trienens Institute has catalyzed collaborative, cutting-edge inquiry across Northwestern, providing financial resources for new research, equipment, and commercialization. The Institute presently supports teaming across R&D Pillars concerned with the energy transition.
The R&D Pillars are anchored by teams of distinguished faculty with accolades that include membership to the National Academies of Engineering, Sciences, and Inventors, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and fourteen Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers.
Generate
GENERATE a vast supply of low-carbon intensity electricity
Area of Focus: Northwestern will build a new class of solar energy production by focusing on high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells and next-generation solar cell materials.
Pillar Co-Chairs:
- Mercouri Kanatzidis | Chemistry
- Dayne Swearer | Chemistry
Store
STORE low-carbon intensity electricity for long-term utilization
- Area of Focus: Pioneer new materials with high performance and low cost to unlock a new generation of scalable grid storage.
Pillar Co-Chairs:
- Mark Hersam | Materials Science and Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Jeffrey Lopez | Chemical and Biological Engineering
Deploy
DEPLOY energy to decarbonize industries
- Area of Focus: Northwestern will advance clean hydrogen production and exploit hydrogen’s unique properties to decarbonize agriculture and manufacturing.
Pillar Co-Chairs:
- Sossina Haile | Materials Science and Engineering, Applied Physics
- Jennifer Dunn | Chemical and Biological Engineering
Transform
TRANSFORM wastes and renewable feedstocks into transportation fuels and decarbonized chemicals
- Area of Focus: Northwestern will lead in the creation of catalytic systems for sustainable aviation fuel and decarbonized chemicals that contribute to creating a viable circular economic model at scale.
Pillar Co-Chairs:
- Justin M. Notestein | Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Linsey Seitz | Chemical and Biological Engineering
Capture
CAPTURE CO₂ from dilute sources
- Area of Focus: Northwestern will lead the development and testing of novel nanoporous materials and electro-chemical methods for carbon capture.
Pillar Co-Chairs:
- Randall Snurr | Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Omar Farha | Chemistry
The priorities set forth by the Trienens Institute R&D pillars shape engagement with industry partners from across the decarbonization value chain, as well as Northwestern faculty members and a team of researchers focused on pillar topics.
Decarbonization is an imperative for the climate and civilization; and to be the first to come up with compelling solutions also represents huge economic opportunity.”