Supported through the generosity of Roy and Diana Vagelos, the VIEST Graduate Fellowship is awarded competitively to exceptional University of Pennsylvania graduate students in SAS and SEAS whose Ph.D. research demonstrates a distinct focus on energy. 

VIEST Graduate Fellows will receive financial support toward their graduate work in the form of a standard stipend, general fee, tuition, and health insurance for the corresponding academic year, through summer. In addition, each Fellow may apply for up to $1,000 in funds to present their research at a conference. 

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Now Accepting Applications!

Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology
2025 Graduate Fellowship
Application Deadline: Friday, May 23, 2025

 Download Announcement.

(04/09/2025) - We are now accepting nominations and applications for the 2025-2026 class of Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology (VIEST) Graduate Fellows. Supported through the generosity of Roy and Diana Vagelos, the VIEST Graduate Fellowship is awarded competitively to exceptional University of Pennsylvania graduate students in SAS and SEAS whose Ph.D. research demonstrates a distinct focus on a large-scale energy issue.

VIEST Graduate Fellows will receive financial support toward their graduate work in the form of a standard stipend, general fee, tuition, and health insurance for the 2025-2026 academic year, for a period that must begin on 9/1/2025 and end on 8/31/2026. Additionally, each Fellow may apply for up to $1,000 in funds to present their research at a conference. 

Eligibility: University of Pennsylvania graduate students in SAS and SEAS whose PhD dissertation research is energy focused and will be entering the 3rd or 4th year of their Penn graduate enrollment in 2025-2026. The ideal candidate will have a dissertation research project aligned with a large-scale energy research challenge that could significantly mitigate climate change. To broaden the depth of research expertise in the cohort, only one submission will be allowed per research group.

Requirements for Fellows: VIEST Graduate Fellows are expected to:

• Work full-time toward completion of their PhD dissertation during the award period, making appropriate progress throughout.

• Actively participate in VIEST research meetings, forging effective collaboration within the Institute and throughout the Penn campus.

• Provide input and leadership in planning and organizing VIEST research and career development events.

• Present their research at campus poster sessions organized by VIEST.

• Write technical reports submitted in January and August 2025.

How to Apply: Complete applications are due by Friday, May 23, 2025, and must include:

• A letter of nomination from the applicant’s PhD advisor. The letter must comment on the demonstrated ability of the nominee to learn from and contribute to a multi-disciplinary and collaborative research environment. This letter must be on Penn letterhead and emailed directly by the PhD advisor to Erika Martinez (erima@upenn.edu).

• The applicant’s current resume or CV

• A personal statement

  • The personal statement must include the following sections:

    1. Tentative Dissertation Title & Anticipated Graduation Date

    2. Description of Research – should be written for a scholar outside the major field of study.

    3. Contribution to the Field – a thorough, yet concise explanation of how your project will contribute to the field of sustainable energy research including its connection to a large-scale energy research challenge that could significantly mitigate climate change.

    4. Career Goals - a paragraph discussing short-term and long-term career goals.

  • Formatting: No more than two pages in length (not including references) with each section labeled appropriately. Standard letter-size page, 1-inch margins, and 11 or 12 pt font.

• An up-to-date, unofficial Penn transcript

• The resume, personal statement, and transcript must be combined into one PDF file (named “YourNameApplication.pdf”) and emailed to Erika Martinez (erima@upenn.edu) no later than 5 PM on May 23rd using the subject-line “2025 Graduate Fellow Application - [Your Name]”.

Review Criteria: VIEST Graduate Fellowships will be awarded on the basis of academic excellence, the demonstrated likelihood that the Fellow will become a leader in the next generation of energy scientists and engineers, and alignment of the dissertation project with a large-scale energy research challenge.

Contact: Erika Martinez, VIEST Administrative Coordinator, erima@upenn.edu.