Northwestern University Sustainability and Energy Fellows
The Northwestern University Sustainability Energy Fellows program empowers top postdoctoral scholars with unprecedented research independence. The inaugural cohort includes outstanding researchers with backgrounds in fields including physics, chemistry, engineering, microbiology, and political science. Meet the fellows joining the Northwestern community for a three-year appointment starting in the summer and fall of 2026.
Meet the Fellows
Krishanu Dey's research at Northwestern focuses on developing next-generation semiconductor materials and devices to accelerate the global transition to clean energy. Through a combination of fundamental materials understanding and device engineering, his research seeks to establish high-performance perovskite multijunction photovoltaics as a transformative platform for terrestrial, concentrator, and space-based solar energy applications. VIEW FULL BIO
Sergio A. Dorado-Rojas, PhD
PhD program: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Fellowship mentors: Ermin Wei, PhD, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Niall Mangan, PhD, Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, McCormick School of Engineering
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Sergio A. Dorado-Rojas aims to create a “Google Maps” for power grids, helping operators reroute electricity around congestion and outages in real time. His work combines accurate grid modeling, AI-based demand forecasting, and rapid optimization to manage strain from data centers, reduce wildfire risks, and accelerate renewable energy integration. VIEW FULL BIO
Paul Ducarme, PhD
PhD program: Nonlinear Mechanics, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
Fellowship mentors: Lucia Stein-Montalvo, PhD, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Nivedita Arora, PhD, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering
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Amid the growing pressures of climate change and urbanization, Paul Ducarme aims to develop buildings and architectural elements that passively change shape to respond to and help regulate heat, ventilation, light, or air pollution, giving the urban environment more life-like attributes. Just as a pinecone opens or closes with humidity or a leaf unfolds toward light, he envisions facades, rooftops, or other architectural elements that switch between distinct configurations, without motors, external power, or complex machinery. VIEW FULL BIO
As a postdoctoral scholar, Sara Hoose plans to investigate why some environmental policies are popular across the political spectrum, such as access to green space. She will examine how the attributes of these policies might be used to encourage policy adoption in other, more polarized, areas. VIEW FULL BIO
By examining the fundamental processes that limit long-term stability in perovskite solar cells, Diana LaFollette aims to develop the understanding needed to improve stability and move toward a commercially viable, scalable renewable energy technology. VIEW FULL BIO
David Alfred Otto Meier, PhD
PhD program: Microbiology, University of California, Berkeley, California
Fellowship mentors: Amy C. Rosenzweig, PhD, Department of Molecular Biosciences, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, and Keith E.J. Tyo, PhD, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering
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David Alfred Otto Meier will study how to engineer methane-consuming bacteria to produce value-added products economically and sustainably. He aims to develop biological systems that reduce the energy demands of biomanufacturing while simultaneously converting methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into valuable products such as fuels and industrial feedstock chemicals. VIEW FULL BIO
Jinwon Oh’s research addresses stability challenges in current catalytic systems that hinder their real-world implementation. In particular, he aims to develop catalysts that convert CO2 into valuable chemicals using renewable electricity. This approach could provide a more sustainable alternative to conventional energy-intensive chemical processes. VIEW FULL BIO
Kathryn Weber, PhD
PhD program: Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
Fellowship mentors: Julia Kalow, PhD, Department of Chemistry, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, and Cécile Chazot, PhD, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering
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At Northwestern, Kathryn Weber will study the use of dynamic covalent bonds to stabilize the liquid-crystalline order of cellulose, aiming to produce structurally colored fibers. This work will enable the fabrication of colorful, recyclable textiles without the need for a labor- and water- intensive dying process. VIEW FULL BIO
