<p>I am reading Hot, Flat and Crowded by Thomas Friedman and I really think there is a future in alternative energy, carbon reduction, bio-fuels, sustainability, environment. Even if I don't end up as an engineer, it might be a good background for advanced degress in business/finance (venture capital) or law/policy. What undergraduate schools would be good for this and what major? I looked at several colleges (MIT, CMU, JHU, Rensselaer, Lehigh, Purdue, Ga Tech, VA Tech, Penn State etc) and the most they seem to have are interdisciplinary programs. I have good grades and am taking a lot of honors/AP courses in physics, bio, environmental science, calculus and computer programming. Any ideas?</p>
<p>Colorado school of mines?</p>
<p>Best “Green” schools:</p>
<p>Arizona State University
Georgia Tech
Harvard College
SUNY-Binghamton
University Of New Hampshire
University Of Washington
Yale University</p>
<p>Check out Washington University in St. Louis for their “chemical, environmental, and energy engineering department”. They offer a regular ChemE undergrad program, but with a heavy focus on environmental applications through their renewable energy and sustainability center.
[Washington</a> University in St. Louis :: I-CARES](<a href=“Home - Center for the Environment”>http://i-cares.wustl.edu/)</p>
<p>As a side note, also check out the book “Two Billions Cars: Driving Toward Sustainability”!</p>
<p>Georgia Tech has a huge sustainability push right now. It’s one of the three focus areas for the school, and every department from Management to Psychology is expected to have some sort of contribution.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the helpful answers. I will research the schools listed. It’s good to hear about Ga Tech since it is one of the school I’m really interested in.</p>
<p>Oregon Institute of Technology offers a Bachelor of Science in Renewable Energy Engineering.</p>
<p>From their website:
" In 2005, Oregon Tech furthered its commitment to sustainable power by introducing the first Bachelor of Science in Renewable Energy Systems in North America (now known as Renewable Energy Engineering). Oregon Tech’s renewable energy program establishes the engineering principles graduates will need to develop, promote, and implement sustainable energy technologies…"</p>
<p>Ok, I think it is kind of silly to say what is the best engineering school or major for sustainability and alternative energy. The fact is, those two things are very popular right now, and if you go to literally ANY engineering program, they are going to preach the values of being environmentally friendly and green and sustainable and everything similar you can say. Most major research institutions, if not all of them, are doing a fair amount of research directly involving these concepts. Engineering in general uses these things, not any one school.</p>
<p>I would be very careful about doing a B.S. in Renewable Energy Engineering though as Oregon Tech seems to offer. That is something that no one has really heard of, and many people will probably consider you underqualified for most technical jobs for one reason: Renewable energy is such a huge and diverse topic that it would be very difficult to have a degree program that gives you more than just brief glimpses at each individual topic.</p>
<p>Agree with boneh3ad. Alternative energy is a blanket name for many different topics requiring many different skillsets. You should stick with a major that has some useful niche in alternative energy. Electrical, Materials and Mechanical engineering would all be fine choices but those are by no means the only choices.</p>
<p>That said, GT is on a ridiculous sustainability push right now. To give you an idea of the kinds of things that are happening on campus, the cafeterias don’t have trays anymore because it saves a couple hundred gallons of water a month and they will dig/are digging up a large portion of north campus to allow for more green space (among other things).</p>
<p>VT is doing the stupid tray thing too. It annoys me to no end.</p>
<p>I’ve also read that when school cafeterias don’t use trays, students will take less food over the duration of their meal.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>They’re constructing two rivers and a huge lake on campus.</p>
<p>The Governor of Oregon and the State is pushing to make Oregon the leader of renewable energy resources. Oregon has existing hydro and geothermal energy resources. A well developed wind energy program. Two teaching nuclear reactors (OSU and Reed). A solar cell factory near Intel. And believe it, ~3/4 of state is semi to desert arid land that is volcanic cinder or ash with virtually no people. Also 400 miles of coast for wave energy. We also have a lot of forests that is too dense that need to be thinned with wood waste that can be used for biomass fuel along with too much grass and wheat straw.</p>
<p>Pardon my asking LongPrime, but what does that have to do with entering an engineering field that concerns renewable energy/sustainability?</p>
<p>^ Engineers got to engineer it. Oregon has the resources and the schools.
Did I forget, Oregon has BPA power AC&DC transmission lines, installed in the 40-60’s that are owned by the government/BPA, that crisscross the state. OSU was the school to go to for power transmission technology.</p>
<p>“I’ve also read that when school cafeterias don’t use trays, students will take less food over the duration of their meal.”</p>
<p>Which is, of course, the real reason they do it. I sure don’t take less food but whatever.</p>
<p>Colorado School of Mines is exactly what you want</p>
<p>I am B.E Electronics student.
I want to pursue my Masters in Green Engineering in Electronics.Which colleges in this world provides this course?
Please help with some information.</p>