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The Institute for Energy Efficiency is excited to announce a new self-nominating fellowship opportunity for continuing graduate students! Please find criteria and proposal instructions below.

The Szilagyi Energy Breakthrough Fellowships are made possible through the generous support of Gary and Tammy Szilagyi. These fellowships for continuing graduate students are intended as seed funding for new energy breakthrough ideas leading to potential commercialization. Now accepting applications for 2017-18, submissions due by 5/29/17. 

These highly competitive awards recognize "out of the box" thinking and are intended to provide fellows with an opportunity to explore energy breakthrough ideas that they otherwise could not explore. The Institute intends to name one student per academic year beginning in Fall 2017. The award provides $25K in discretionary funds to be used solely in support of the proposed research project. The funds can be used to cover any of the following expenses during the fellowship year: stipend, travel, and/or supplies and recharges. Additional fellowship benefits include participation in select Institute events, including meetings with select visiting speakers.

It is required that fellows give a short presentation on their research progress during the academic year, and submit a final 4-5 page report within 30 days following the fellowship period. Awardees are selected by a committee comprised of the Solutions Group Heads, Institute Director and Associate Director.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Continuing graduate students only
  • Submission of proposal in approved format (attached) by advertised deadline, including endorsement from PhD advisor
  • Proposed research project must be related to energy efficient technologies

Click here for an overview, proposal template, and submission form.