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Sustainability and Energy Fellows Program

The Northwestern University Sustainability and Energy Fellows (NUSEF) program supports outstanding postdoctoral researchers advancing interdisciplinary solutions in renewable energy, climate innovation, and sustainability. This prestigious fellowship was launched in 2026 as a flagship initiative of the Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy. It attracts top-tier talent from around the world, with the initial cohort including fellows from institutions such as Stanford, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Cambridge (UK), and AMOLF (Netherlands).
graduate student working in the lab with a lab coat and gloves

A New Model for Research Independence

Northwestern Sustainability and Energy Fellows enjoy unprecedented research independence. Unlike traditional postdoctoral appointments tied to a single lab, the fellows define their own research pathways, designing original projects that integrate scientific excellence with policy relevance, innovation potential, and real-world impact. At least two Northwestern faculty members mentor each fellow, encouraging collaboration across disciplines, departments, and schools.

grad students standing in front of a roof-top solar array

Research with Global Impact

The NUSEF program is uniquely positioned to support scholars whose work spans scientific discovery, technology translation, and societal engagement. Fellows pursue projects in areas such as renewable energy generation and optimization, climate modeling and forecasting, advanced materials for sustainability, cleantech innovation, urban resilience, and policy design. Beyond laboratory and field research, the program facilitates collaboration with industry leaders, policymakers, NGOs, and academic partners, helping to translate discoveries into actionable, scalable climate solutions.

Prof Dunn meeting with post docs in a conference room

Collaboration and Leadership

The fellowship program supports career development, interdisciplinary collaboration, and entrepreneurship. Fellows can participate in workshops covering topics such as leadership, entrepreneurship, and commercialization. They have opportunities to engage with business leaders through the Trienens Institute’s Executive Council and Institute Industry Affiliates Program.

At Northwestern, fellows benefit from the University’s distinctive culture that encourages collaborative research across departments, schools, and disciplines. To transform innovation into impact, Northwestern’s Querrey InQbation Lab and the Trienens-Q Accelerator enable researchers to launch startups and translate their cleantech innovations into scalable, market-ready solutions.

By empowering postdoctoral researchers with research independence, robust mentorship, and broad opportunities for collaboration, NUSEF fosters the next generation of leaders poised to address global challenges in energy and sustainability.