Minor in Sustainable Energy Systems

Providing affordable energy to meet the demands of both developed and developing nations without further damaging the natural environment and the Earth’s climate system is a grand challenge for the 21st century.
solar panels and windmills with sunset

Offered collaboratively by Biological and Environmental Engineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, this minor emphasizes the importance of viewing the challenge of meeting the world’s energy needs as a system of interacting themes.

Our quality of life and the stability of nations ultimately depend on having accessible energy resources and an equitable and sustainable energy supply and distribution system. Achievement of these goals requires the participation, ingenuity, and hard work of people with a range of specialized backgrounds, working collaboratively.

Minor requirements are designed to provide breadth across a range of energy resource types and conversion, transmission and storage technologies along with coverage of the environmental, economic, political, and social consequences of various options.

Contacts

  • For Registrar Topics

    Carol Casler
    Undergraduate Student Services Coordinator
    Olin Hall, Room 158B
    cad1@cornell.edu
    607-255-1489

     

  • For Curricular Topics

    Jeff Tester
    David Croll Sesquicentennial Fellow and Professor of Sustainable Energy Systems
    Olin Hall, 230A
    jwt54@cornell.edu
    607-254-7211