Energy Studies Minor at MIT
Ann Greaney-Williams, Academic Coordinator
MIT Energy Initiative, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Priyanka Chatterjee, MIT Undergraduate
Mechanical and Ocean Engineering, Energy Studies
A little Minor history
 MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) launched in 2006
 Energy Education Task Force (EETF) created in 2007
 By 2009, Energy Studies Minor established - signature
energy education activity of MITEI
 Challenges?
 provide undergraduates with a flexible pathway through the
energy landscape
 prepare students for careers and graduate study
 create a program that is inherently multidisciplinary
 MITEI draws in faculty and students from across all 5 of MIT’s
schools, and is not located within an individual department
Focusing on the energy system requires a
multidisciplinary approach!
 Students need to be fluent in the technological,
social, and scientific dimensions of energy systems
 Focus on energy systems
 Sources…fossil fuels, solar, geothermal, wind, nuclear
 Generate, store, convert, and distribute
 Use and the social and environmental implications
 Focus on three domains of minor
 Foundations of Science in energy
 Foundations of Social Science in energy
 Engineering and Technology in Context in energy
Energy Studies Minor Curriculum
Coursework in each of the three
Core Curriculum Categories
Energy
Electives
24 Units of
approved Energy
Elective subjects
Course Sample
What is our governance structure?
 InterSchool Educational Council (ISEC), during first 3 years
 Multi-school participation through ISEC and Energy Minor
Oversight Committee (EMOC)
 Volunteer faculty-led
 Student participation
 Professional support through MITEI
Current challenges and opportunities
 Current challenges
 curriculum offerings; curriculum renewal
 enrollment trends and diversity
 extending offerings by advancing internship and career
opportunities
 Opportunities
 leveraging alumni and seniors as mentors
 creating connections and community within a dispersed
student group
The Student Perspective
 Freshman Opportunities
 DELTA FPOP
 Terrascope Program
 At least one energy-related class
per term
 MIT teaching-style + Projectbased learning
 2 MITEI UROPs
 C3E Conference Presentations
 Internship with Chevron
 MITEI Sustaining Member
Getting to Know the Network
 MIT Networking
 Face-time with MITEI directors
 Faculty advising and mentorship
 Monthly lunches with fellow
students
 Professional Networking
 MIT-based and external
conferences
 Corporate dinners
 Clubs & Organizations
 MIT Undergraduate Energy Club
Major over Minor
 No one field defines Energy!
 Multidisciplinary >17 majors involved!
 Variety of perspectives on energy
 Collaboration with students & faculty across departments
 Depth vs. Breadth
 Who am I?
 An engineer, scientist, or social scientist?
Popularity of the Minor at MIT
80
Class of 2014
•
3rd largest
70
60
minor
•
Largest class
in 5 years
(35 students;
40% women)
50
48
44
40
0
2012
25
2013
18
13
10
2011
30
30
20
2010
35
16
10
2014
Where do Energy Studies Minors go
after graduation?
60
50
40
30
First Job
Second Job
20
10
0
Masters/PhD
MITEI Member
Companies
Non-MITEI Member
Companies
Founded/Co-founded
Startup
• Total Graduates 89 (some worked at two positions after graduation; 1 established company/
1 startup)
• 8% of graduates founded or co-founded a startup
• If student's first and second job occur at same company (promotion), they are counted only
once.
• If student's second job appears under Masters/PhD, this indicates that the student worked first,
then went on to graduate study.
Questions?
 Ann Greaney-Williams
MIT Energy Initiative
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Avenue, E19-307
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
617.324.7236
[email protected]
mitei.mit.edu/education
 Priyanka Chatterjee
[email protected]