FOR STUDENTS

FIND FUNDING OR COMPETITIONS

If you have an idea for an environmental project or are looking to compete against other students and schools in environmental competitions, there are both internal and external programs to explore. New opportunities are added as they become available and are also announced in the News & Events section. If you hear of a funding stream, challenge, or competition open to students that isn’t featured here, let us know.

Internal

Green Fund

As part of the University of Chicago’s commitment to student research, scholarship and innovation around sustainability, Campus and Student Life launched a Green Fund in collaboration with the student-led UChicago Environmental Alliance (UCEA). Up to $50,000 in grants is available in the 2020-21 academic year to support student-led research and projects for improving campus sustainability and reducing the University’s environmental impact. Please direct any questions to greenfund@uchicago.edu.

External

DOE Geothermal Technologies Office Geothermal Collegiate Competition

The Spring 2022 Geothermal Collegiate Competition, managed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), aims to engage with students, build skills, and promote new ideas to drive change. The Competition invites college and university teams to develop proposals to heat and cool buildings, campuses, districts, or entire communities. Students gain real-world renewable energy industry experience through developing, designing, and testing technologies alongside community stakeholders, shaping the future of geothermal and the transition to a clean economy.

DOE Solar Decathalon

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is a collegiate competition, comprising 10 contests, that challenges student teams to design and build highly efficient and innovative buildings powered by renewable energy. The winners will be those teams that best blend architectural design and engineering excellence with innovation, market potential, building efficiency, and smart energy production.

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