Undergraduate Seminar
Climate & Energy Policy Seminar
Connect with researchers across campus, meet like-minded students, and get published.
About the Seminar
Each spring, the Kleinman Center hosts its undergraduate student fellows program and climate and energy policy seminar series. This program is designed as a competitive and selective appointment for committed undergraduates. Admitted students are expected to attend a lunchtime seminar every other week at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. These energy and climate policy seminar sessions provide students with the opportunity to meet and hear from energy researchers as they discuss the findings and policy implications of their recent research.
Seminar Topics
Lectures and discussions cover a wide range of energy and climate topics, including:
- Adaptive Design
- Climate Science and the Carbon Cycle
- Energy Markets
- Environmental Justice
- Environmental Law and Regulation
- Environmental Risk Management
- Renewable Energy and Storage
- Transportation
Student Opportunities
Student fellows selected for this seminar have many unique opportunities for both academic and professional development.
Networking. In addition to learning from many of Penn’s top energy researchers, admitted students can engage and network with presenters and other student fellows.
Publishing. Blog posts that students submit at the end of the semester are published on the Kleinman Center website and shared with our growing community of students, faculty, policymakers, and industry experts.
Career Building. This program is an excellent career-building opportunity, helping student fellows develop a deep understanding of energy and climate policy topics. As official members of the Kleinman Center community, student fellows receive a number of ancillary benefits such as occasional opportunities to meet visiting scholars and speakers, advanced notice of Kleinman Center events, and the professional benefits of having an official association with a globally respected energy policy center.
Field Trip. Under normal circumstances, we also host an optional and all-expenses-paid day trip to a significant energy facility or policy institution within the region. Unfortunately, because of the ongoing precautions around the coronavirus pandemic, this trip may not be possible this year.
In addition to attending seminar discussions, each student fellow must submit a blog post (~600 words) on an energy or climate topic of their choice by the end of the semester. Student fellows then work with the Kleinman Center’s editorial and communications team to publish their blog on the Kleinman Center website.
Apply for Spring 2022
- Application deadline for Spring 2022: November 15th, 2021 by 5 PM
- Applications should be sent to Oscar Serpell (serpello@upenn.edu) with the subject line “Application for KCEP Undergraduate Seminar and Fellows Program”
- Application should include: 1 page letter of interest, resume, unofficial transcript, and a writing sample from class project or publication
- Student fellows will be required to meet regularly in person from 12-1PM on Wednesdays throughout the spring semester. Exact dates to follow
For questions about the undergraduate seminar, please contact Oscar Serpell.
2021 Publication Highlights
Our seminar participants have written on a variety of topics—from carbon offsets to artificial intelligence.
Biomass Energy: Climate Solution or Potential Catastrophe?
Georgeanne Dinan
Treating biomass as a carbon-neutral energy source will only drive further wood harvests and carbon emissions at a time when reforestation and decarbonization are critical.
Considering Artificial Intelligence and Its Potential for Climate Impact
Georgia Ray
Can AI help us improve energy efficiency and combat climate change? Possibly but ethical concerns exist when it comes to balancing the positives and negatives of AI creation and climate change.
Carbon Offsets Cannot Be Our Primary Solution to Climate Change
Ayina Anyachebelu
The current carbon offsets market incentivizes corporations to shift the moral responsibility of reducing emissions to others. Drastic reform is needed to guarantee a true reduction in global emissions.
We Have To Go Nuclear
Neil Kapoor
With the climate crisis growing worse by the day, it seems like the nuclear option is the only one.
Wind Turbine Blades: Options at End of Life
John Berg
Wind turbine blades are currently sent to landfills at the end of their useful life. Emerging technologies could enable widespread blade recycling and make wind power more sustainable.
Meet Our 2021 Student Fellows
Evelyn Sorrell
