CSEi Student Essay Contest

The Climate Systems Engineering initiative (CSEi) at the University of Chicago invites all undergraduate students in the college to take part in its second annual CSEi Student Essay Contest.

With $7,000 in prizes at stake, the contest asks one question: Why should humanity NOT deploy aerosols in the stratosphere to offset warming caused by CO₂ emissions?

We welcome essays from the physical sciences, biological sciences, social sciences and humanities.

Essays should be submitted via this form before 11:59 pm CT on January 31, 2027.

For questions related to the contest, reach out to Ben Peltz (bpeltz@uchicago.edu). Good luck and may the best essays win!

Prompt

Write an essay that argues against the deliberate deployment of aerosols (or their chemical precursors) in the stratosphere as a strategy to offset the majority of CO2-driven warming in the coming decades.

We are specifically interested in the strongest possible cases for why stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) should not be pursued. What are the risks, limitations, and potential policy failures associated with SAI? Why might those risks and potential failure outweigh any benefits?

You may use physical, economic, political, and/or social reasoning to support your position.

The deadline for submission is January 31, 2027.

Eligibility

  • The contest is open to ALL current undergraduate students in the College at the University of Chicago, regardless of major or concentration.

Guidelines

  • Essays should be no longer than 1,500 words (excluding citations).
  • Submissions will be judged by a mixture of faculty and postdocs on:
    • Originality of argument
    • Strength of reasoning and evidence
    • Clarity and feasibility of policy recommendations
  • Submissions are due at 11:59 pm CT on January 31, 2027, via this form.

Prizes and Opportunities

  • A total of $7,000 in prizes will be awarded to finalists.
    • $4000 for first place
    • $2000 for second place
    • $1000 for third place

Example Essays