Program Spotlight: Energy Policy Institute

Thanks to our Team Harris Student Ambassador, Tiffany Kwak (MPP'18), for this post! 

With greater attention toward energy and environmental policy impacts in the United States and around the world, it becomes ever more important to cultivate opportunities for the next generation of policymakers to learn about the different ways to make informed decisions regarding energy policy. In collaboration with the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) and several key University departments (including Harris Public Policy), the University of Chicago introduced a new program in data science for energy and environmental research that will not only introduce innovative courses related to the energy and environment, but also install a computational data science research trainee program to qualifying graduate students in science-focused graduate programs. Students who are not necessarily in science-focused degree programs are eligible to participate in traineeship but will not be offered financial support through the trainee program.

This new initiative will begin offering courses to all University graduate students in the 2018-2019 academic year, and financial support for the trainee program in computational data science for energy and environment will be granted via existing PhD and master’s programs that meet specific program criteria. This is an unparalleled opportunity for incoming or prospective public policy graduate students (particularly those considering doctoral, MACRM, and MSESP degrees at Harris) focused on energy and environment policy to strengthen their research skills in addition to their own professional development. This is an exciting new opportunity, so be sure to check it out!