Energy and Sustainability Engineering
According to the International Energy Agency, total employment in renewable energy grew by 20% from 2020-2023, and workforce is one of the key determinants of the Adoption Readiness Level of clean technologies. The MESE program builds on extensive interdisciplinary expertise in energy and sustainability at Penn in order to meet workforce needs while preparing students for fulfilling careers shaping a sustainable world. The curriculum was designed in consultation with industry leaders from early career professionals to chief sustainability officers to ensure that graduates will be competitive for high-impact careers and will have the skills needed to meet employer needs.
MESE students arrive at Penn with a broad array of disciplinary skills and professional experiences; our faculty advisors help them build upon that foundation to become well-rounded, versatile changemakers in energy and sustainability. In addition to technical breadth and depth, through experiential learning students develop valuable experience with project management, interdisciplinary collaboration, and written and oral communication.
Regular MESE-specific workshops help students to gain fluency in the range of energy and sustainability career paths available to engineers and to plan their course choices and extracurriculars to prepare for those careers. Throughout their degree, students develop diverse portfolios to demonstrate their experience and ability to potential employers.
Penn Engineering alumni are embedded in leading energy and sustainability companies around the world and regularly visit campus for seminars, panels, and events to connect with MESE students. Program faculty leverage connections in support of students, helping them to secure opportunities in multinational corporations, consulting firms, government agencies, NGOs, and startups.
More career resources are available via Penn Engineering Career Services.
MESE students are trained to become leaders in energy and sustainability after graduation. They have technical backgrounds, broad understanding of interdisciplinary aspects of energy and sustainability, and depth in their areas of concentration. Our experiential, project-based curriculum ensures that our students are ready to tackle complex real-world challenges. Many of our students also have professional experience in industry, and all are eligible to work in the US immediately upon graduation.
Contact us at energy-sustainability@seas.upenn.edu to discuss ways that our talented students can benefit your company as interns or full-time hires. We also welcome industry partners to visit campus to give guest lectures in courses, collaborate on capstone projects.
Information on participating in Penn Engineering career fairs and recruiting can be found via Career Services.
