<p>Hi, I'm currently a junior in high school with a passion in atmospheric/energy sciences. My current plan is to double major in economics and atmospheric/environmental science and then pursue a grad degree in energy policy/scienceI've done quite a bit of research and found that there isn't a major specified for "energy science," so I just have a quick questions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>What major should I pursue to put me on the right track for my career?</p></li>
<li><p>What schools have the best programs in this major, if possible schools with more hands on cirriculums, e.g. Carnegie Mellon, Princeton, Cal Tech? Preferably a less populated school, and not to clos to the city.</p></li>
<li><p>What job opportunities do I have after undergraduate and graduate? I'm no concerned so much about the salary, more about just changing the world if that isnt too cheesy.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thank you very much, looking forward to your responses.</p>
<p>Would you be interested more in the policy level, or in the design and engineering level?</p>
<p>If the latter, then most of the typical engineering majors are relevant:</p>
<ul>
<li>chemical: liquid fuels, batteries</li>
<li>civil: energy efficient buildings and infrastructure</li>
<li>computer: everything uses computer controls these days</li>
<li>electrical: energy conversion to and from electricity</li>
<li>mechanical: motors, engines, vehicles, aircraft, windmills, tidal energy devices, etc.</li>
<li>materials: as mechanical, plus batteries</li>
<li>nuclear: nuclear power</li>
</ul>
<p>For example, you can go to the careers section of the website of a company like <a href=“http://www.teslamotors.com%5B/url%5D”>http://www.teslamotors.com</a> and see what kind of engineers they are looking for.</p>
<p>It would be my dream to work for tesla motors. Although, I’m not very interested in the engineering side of stuff and more interested in the science side of stuff. Could you please explain what energy policy entails? Sorry I don’t know this stuff :(</p>
<p>Hm. I feel like that’s too specific I’m looking for a double major pairing that gives me an opportunity to go into either energy policy or energy science.</p>
<p>Given that the vast majority of people working in the alternative energy industry didn’t major in an alternative energy field, you may wish to consider a more traditional degree path and take relevant internships at alternative energy companies. </p>
<p>University of Oklahoma offers an Energy Management major, however because it’s Oklahoma, it tends to prepare students more for fossil fuels than anything else. Other schools may offer a similar major, albeit one that focuses on alternative energy.</p>
<p>Any field of engineering will let you try to change the world. If you’re more interested in the science aspect, go to the PhD level, and you’ll be doing plenty of science as an engineer.</p>
<p>If you want to do policy you’re still probably best off doing an undergrad in engineering/science and then maybe doing a MS or PhD in Public Policy.</p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon actually does offer a double major in Engineering & Public Policy to its engineering students (it’s not available as a primary major), so that could be something to look into.</p>
<p>@RacinReaver
Okay, only one question. Engineering is quite a broad term I would say. There’s a plethora of options available when you say engineer. What type of engineer would go down the path for energy?
Good to know Carnegie Mellon has the double major, my brother is actually studying there haha!
Also, what are my available options to go into if I double major in some kind of energy science/engineering and economics and then get an MBA?</p>
<p>Well, what type of energy are you interested in? There’s an engineering major for practically all of them. Electrical engineering, petroleum engineering, chemical engineering, etc. Even civil engineering for wind/water energy. </p>
<p>You’re going to have to narrow it down a bit I think. All of them have both industrial/business paths as well as academic/scientific paths.</p>
<p>Double majoring in engineering and economics before an MBA is probably NOT a good idea.
Some would consider an MBA semi-redundant after a BA/BS in econ since they cover some of the same ground, unless you specifically want to work as an economist or CFO or something.
Both tough/competitive majors, so your grades would probably suffer and those grades will mean more to grad schools than a double major.</p>
<p>In other words, unless you actually have an interest in economics, focus on excelling in one major so you can get good grades+work experience and subsequently get into a top MBA program. The public policy double major is probably significantly lighter than eng+econ would be.</p>
<p>Thank you very much disco inferno, I wasn’t sure about that I just few it out there. I ink I MIT change my mind on the whole economics deal. What would be a good double major pairing for atmospheric science or climate sciences?
As of now I have a 4.0 gpa and I would say I’m a pretty hard worker when it comes to studying, especially when it’s something I’m passionate in.</p>
<p>Math, physics, or computer science as a major or minor, especially if you want to do research for the private sector (a lot of computer modelling). It also depends on what you want to do with the degree. You might want to contact the professors at Texas A&M and University of Washington to find out how to enter the wind power industry. TAMU is in a state with a high amount of alternative energy research going on, and U Washington’s program supposedly prepares students for alternative energy careers. </p>
<p>If you’re interested in photovoltaics, electrical engineering could be a solid choice.</p>
<p>Certification in GIS fields never hurt anyone either. </p>
<p>It all really does depend on what you want to do within the alternative energy field. Do you want to be someone that researches new technologies? Do you want to be someone that makes the final product that’ll get sold? Do you want to be the guy that’s actually installing PV units on a roof? Do you want to be the person at a company or in the government that’s trying to lobby for large scale programs (either centralized power generation or incentive programs for end consumers to get on board)?</p>
<p>I’m a materials scientist, and a lot of my friends are engaged in “alternative energy” research. Here’s a few major topics I can think of off the top of my head. </p>
<ul>
<li><p>Various technologies for photovoltaics. This ranges from what materials to use (polymer-based, cheap versions of silicon, expensive but highly efficient silicon cells), how to physically structure the PV cells (nanocarpets of pillars, planar arrays, other ways of capturing the maximum amount of light), how to make commercial quantities of the materials, etc.</p></li>
<li><p>Artificial photosynthesis. Taking sunlight + water and turning it directly into hydrogen and oxygen through catalysis. This doesn’t directly generate electricity, but gives you H2 which you can store and burn later.</p></li>
<li><p>Fuel cells. This ranges from what material to use for the electrodes (everyone wants to replace platinum since it’s very expensive and rare) to what to use for the membranes, what temperatures to operate at, what fuel to use, how to store the fuel, etc. All of these are ENORMOUS fields.</p></li>
<li><p>Biofuels. Growing plants which can be then be turned into different things which we could burn as fuel (or throw into a fuel cell).</p></li>
<li><p>Thermoelectrics. Find materials with great electrical conductivity but poor thermal conductivity. You can generate power with these.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>You can also think of improving general industrial processes as a way of being involved with “alternative energy.” Refining aluminum from bauxite is an extremely electrically intensive process. The electrodes which are used actually get consumed during the process, so one of the long-standing challenges has been to come up with an electrode which won’t be depleted during use. Being able to come up with something of that scale worldwide would probably have a much greater effect than increasing wind production 1%.</p>
<p>Not very interested in math/computer science to be honest. I’m trying to steer clear of hardcore electrical engineering. I would like to major in something that gives me the opportunity to be a lobbier for large scale alternative energy projects but also have the opportunity to research. Do you think a major in atmospheric sciences would prepare me? I feel as though it would give me a broader aspect to things such as economics to a business degree. it provides me with a large range of options to pursue. I realize I’m being very broad, I apologize.</p>
<p>I do not think an atmospheric science degree would prepare you to do actual research on new technologies for alternative energy. It would prepare you to do research on weather-related phenomenon, global climate trends, and that sort of stuff, though.</p>
<p>I think you might just need to choose some sort of engineering or science, take a few classes in it, and figure out if you really want to pursue the lobbying/policy side or the research side. If you want to help lobby, take classes based around public policy, economics, project management, etc.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot RacinReaver, I’m actually taking a summer camp at university of Chicago in a few weeks called: The Case to Going Green, Business and Sustainability. That should give me an eye opener I think. I think I’ll double major in atmospheric sciences and some kindof engineering. Can we keep in contact?</p>
<p>Sure, I’ve been on this forum for years, and if for some reason I’m not around for a while, you can always send me an e-mail through the forums. :)</p>