Overview
The graduate program in Energy and Geo-Environmental Engineering provides an integrated education in all aspects of the energy cycle - from the recovery of fuels and sustainable energy resources, their conversion and utilization, and the stewardship or beneficial-utilization of the waste products.
Necessarily the range of research activities are broad, and are fully reflected in the interests of the program faculty. Foci cover the full landscape of complex intertwined societal and technological issues related to: Energy and the Environment.
The graduate program in Energy and Geo-Environmental Engineering formalizes a strong tradition of education and research in the energy and environmental sciences and engineering at Penn State. Specifically it combines prior graduate programs in Geo-Environmental Engineering and in Fuel Science under a unifying theme, and with common educational objectives and coursework. The focus of this program, on the safe, sustainable and efficient utilization of energy and fuels, is unique.
The former Graduate Program in Fuel Science was established in 1967 with broad interests spanning coal science and technology, fuel conversion, hydrocarbon combustion, air pollution control and carbon materials. Some examples of current research activities are: combustion-generated air pollutants, alternative and reformulated fuels, applied catalysis, carbon materials from petroleum and coal, carbon deposition on metal surfaces, catalytic oxidation of solid carbons, computational chemistry of carbon reactions, preparation of activated carbons, conversion of fuels into higher-value products, and diesel and jet fuel formulation.
The former graduate program in Geo-Environmental Engineering was established in 1999, with the focus of current activities on environmental issues related to energy supply, including sustainability, the hydrogen economy, geothermal energy, waste disposal and environmental protection. The focus is on the prevention of pollution, and in the monitoring, control, and remediation of pollution sources. These include aspects of land reclamation, of groundwater protection and remediation, and of the control of atmospheric pollutants.
The standard of living we currently experience, and the quality of life we enjoy, owe much to our skillful utilization of energy resources, and related attention to environmental protection.
More information about the Energy and Geo-Environmental Engineering program can be found in the EGEE Graduate Program Guide.
Joining the Graduate Program in EGEE
If you are interested in the Graduate Program in Energy and Geo-Environmental Engineering, feel free to contact one or more of our faculty members. For receiving the application package for our graduate program, send a note to pam9@psu.edu. To apply on-line see the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering's Graduate Program Admission Requirements .
Completed applications are welcome at any time. For admission in the Fall (August) and competition for graduate fellowships, they should be received by January 15. For admission in the Spring (January) they should be received preferably by July 15.