Research & innovation

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One of the Scott Institute’s core objectives is to grow and accelerate research and entrepreneurship in clean energy and climate resilience across the University. Here, you’ll learn about our main research strengths and some of the startups that have formed as a result of that research. We also collaborate with a number of other Centers, Institutes, and groups across campus to support research and innovation.

Research focus areas

Science and technology

Systems

Policy and society

 

Media inquiries: If you are a member of the media and would like to interview any of our energy experts, please contact Giordana Verrengia.

Research highlights

Seed grant spotlight: Giving plastics a new lease on life

Sydlik and Wang are using their expertise to manipulate the properties of polymers, making it easier to upcycle plastics.

New co-sponsored award to advance research in AI & energy

The Scott Institute and The Block Center for Technology and Society have co-sponsored a new award to advance research in AI and energy at Carnegie Mellon University.

Scott Institute announces 2025 seed grant winners

This year’s seed awards will help grow research in clean hydrogen production, AI hardware efficiency, and decarbonizing transportation.

Seed grant spotlight: AI-driven energy benchmarking

A new project at Carnegie Mellon draws attention to architecture’s sizable carbon footprint.

Seed grant spotlight: Improving electric-power resilience

College of Engineering researchers are developing a robust optimization model that is capable of analyzing threats to the grid and providing commensurate responses that improve its resilience and mitigate supply disruptions.

Scott Institute seed grant spotlight: Access to credit and energy transitions

To support the goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions in the United States by 2050 — a crucial step toward mitigating the effects of climate change — it is vital to establish clean energy alternatives to power the nation.

Scott Institute Seed Grant Helps Demystify Hydrogen’s Damaging Effects

Hydrogen (H) is the smallest atom in the universe, yet it causes billions of dollars of damage to high-strength metallic alloys through a phenomenon called H embrittlement.