UC adds master's degree in sustainable energy engineering

The Master of Engineering in Sustainable Energy is a one-year interdisciplinary program created to provide students skills for the technical workforce. The graduate degree blends technical knowledge, policy analysis, and practical applications to foster a deep understanding of renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency, and sustainable energy systems.

The sustainable energy graduate program, which is enrolling the first group of students for the Fall 2023 semester, features coursework taught by faculty across five engineering departments within the College of Engineering and Applied Science, or CEAS: Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Civil and Architectural Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Mechanical and Materials Engineering. Students choose from four disciplinary tracks — energy sources, energy infrastructure, the built environment, and international energy issues — to create a diverse and specialized program that focuses on issues of particular interest to their academic and career goals. 

“The goal for this program is to provide students with the academic and professional knowledge needed to contribute to the broad range of industry and opportunities related to sustainable energy,” said Eugene Rutz, associate dean of graduate studies at CEAS. “This degree provides a wide variety of pathways – if you want to focus on energy sources like alternative energy and replacing fossil fuels, you can do that. If you want to focus on how we use energy in residential and commercial building and construction, you can do that too. Students can work on everything ranging from energy infrastructure to electric vehicles, all of which are fields that continue to grow in need.” 

With the world increasingly seeking sustainable solutions to its energy demands, this program is uniquely positioned to empower students to become leaders in the transition towards a greener and more sustainable future. In addition to having tracks in focused areas, the program also requires students to take professional development classes, such as Project Management and Energy, Environment, and Society to further prepare students not only for entering the job market, but for understanding and handling the variety of situations they will face as well. Students will also have the opportunity for an international professional development experience, with an option to study a semester abroad through the college's partnership with the University of Lorraine in Nancy, France; to gain international perspective on how different countries deal with sustainable energy challenges. 

“Students will have the opportunity to be leaders in a growing and robust field,” said Max Rabiee, graduate program director for Sustainable Energy. “The prospect of contributing positively to our environment and reducing our carbon footprint, especially in current times where the need for it is particularly dire, can make this program particularly fulfilling. Students can go on to work for both traditional and more niche organizations, and they have the potential to be at the forefront for technological innovation that advances society and ultimately improves the state of our planet.” 

Matt Smeal will be among the first students to pursue a master of engineering in sustainable energy at UC. Currently obtaining his bachelor of science in electrical engineering, Matt has a particular research interest in implementing methods for producing green hydrogen energy. 

"I chose this program because of my interest in helping to address the drivers of anthropogenic climate change,” Smeal said. “The sustainable power and energy field is in a unique position, due to its resources and scale, to lead the way in our transition to low-carbon economies.”