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Energy Engineering Program Area

Within their engineering sciences degree, students may choose a concentration in energy engineering. The Energy Engineering Program Area provides structure and guidance for this concentration involving not only application of the full spectrum of engineering disciplines but also recognition of the social, political, and economic contexts with particular emphasis on human-centered impact.

Energy Engineering Program Area Lead: Lee Lynd

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The Student Experience

The Energy Engineering Program Area provides individualized mentoring of our students' professional development toward becoming enabled, independent professionals, and prioritizes the quality our students' experience through scholarship, coursework, and community.

We are committed to fostering a stimulating and accessible intellectual community for students and faculty interested in energy engineering within Thayer, across Dartmouth, and among researchers and practitioners from the US and around the world.

All students are expected to propose a plan of study that supports their interests, potentially including distinctive intellectual paths unconstrained by disciplinary boundaries and enriched by interdisciplinary synergies.

"We believe that technological innovation is enriched by a needs-driven perspective and that needs-driven work is enriched by exposure to technological innovation."

—Lee Lynd, Energy Program Area Lead

Most graduate study is advanced through the research thesis and disseminated through contributions to peer-reviewed literature, presentations at professional meetings, and in some cases patents and entrepreneurial ventures.

Energy Engineering Research

Energy engineering research at Dartmouth addresses key strategic challenges informed by awareness of societal needs and opportunities. Efforts are supported by leading engineering faculty in their fields, as well as interdepartmental collaborations including with The Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society.

Ongoing investigations include:

Coursework

Individualized plans of study are developed by each student with their faculty mentors pursuant to gaining not only a broad understanding of energy technologies, systems, challenges, and opportunities, but also depth in one or more technical areas relevant to the student's interests.

Depth and breadth

For graduate-level students, a foundation of broad understanding is achieved through this three-course sequence:

  1. Energy Conversion — addressing conversion of primary resources into electricity, fuel, and heat;
  2. Energy Utilization — addressing utilization of electricity, fuel, and heat for energy services (work, light, mobility, space heat and air conditioning, process heating and cooling);
  3. Energy Systems — addressing integrated analysis of single and interdependent energy service supply chains.

Technical depth is addressed through courses of study often related to the research areas listed above.

Lab Spotlight

Printed perovskite absorber films for solar modules.

DOE Funding for Developing Printed Solar Cells

Professor William Scheideler was awarded $250,000 by DOE's Small Innovative Projects in Solar (SIPS) Program toward a new method for manufacturing reliable perovskite solar modules.

Learn more

Graduate Degrees

Students interested in obtaining a PhD, MS, or MEng focused on energy engineering are encouraged to contact faculty lead Lee Lynd or other individual faculty in their areas of interest. Applicants are also invited to visit campus and meet with engineering students and faculty.

PhD

MS

MEng

Undergraduate Degrees

Students interested in the AB/BE, or Partner School Dual-Degree program with a focus on energy engineering are encouraged to contact Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education Doug Van Citters. Applicants are also invited to visit campus and meet with engineering students and faculty.

AB

BE

Partner School DUAL DEGREE