Homepage - Climate Systems Engineering initiative

Climate Systems Engineering initiative (CSEi)

Advancing our understanding of the potential benefits and risks of climate systems engineering.

Special Event: Frontiers in Climate Systems Engineering

Held May 18–19, 2026, in the David Rubenstein Forum, this two-day event was aimed at advancing the understanding of climate engineering through rigorous analysis and open debate. Stay tuned for recordings of the event.

About the Climate Systems Engineering initiative

The University of Chicago is working to better understand the science, technology, and public policy of Climate Systems Engineering and to educate students who will inform how society navigates a warming planet in the years ahead.

Leadership

CSEi has an executive committee that reports to the University’s provost and oversees faculty recruitment, budget, engagement, and long-term planning. The committee is led by Geophysical Sciences Professor David Keith.

View of the University of Chicago campus

Faculty Jobs

The University is building CSEi into a world-leading initiative with multiple faculty hires researching sunlight reflection methods (SRM), open-system carbon removal, and interventions to limit loss of glacial ice.

aerial view of the University of Chicago campus

Faculty Grants: Request for Proposals

CSEi invites letters of intent from all UChicago tenure-line faculty, academics, and staff with PI status for Seed Grants and Faculty Research Grants. Seed Grants are designed to ignite new areas of investigation, while Faculty Research Grants are intended to make a significant contribution to the field of climate systems engineering. Stay tuned for key dates regarding the autumn 2026 application cycle.

Latest News

News·May 28, 2026

Second-Year Zilin Xiang Wins Inaugural CSEi Student Essay Contest

CSEi’s first essay contest sparks undergraduate engagement on sunlight reflection methods (SRM), awarding $7,000 in prizes.

Learn More

News·May 20, 2026

Geneviève Elsworth Joins CSEi as Director of Research Development

Elsworth brings deep expertise in applied climate and carbon research drawn from federal, academic, and industry settings, and will provide both technical and intellectual leadership across CSEi’s growing research portfolio.

Learn More

News·May 11, 2026

UChicago Undergraduates Reach for the Stratosphere with PASCAL

A student-built instrument will sample rarely collected particles from the mid-stratosphere to fill a critical gap in atmospheric science, potentially improving future climate modeling and revolutionizing our understanding of the upper atmosphere.

Learn More