Sustaining member program

Executive summary

The MIT Energy Initiative — MITEI — was formally launched by President Susan Hockfield in November 2006 to mobilize the capabilities and experience of the Institute to "foster new research in science and technology to increase energy supplies ... bringing scientists, engineers and social scientists together to envision the best energy policies for the future." MITEI is now a broad, Institute-wide initiative designed both to transform the global energy system to meet the needs of the future and to help build a bridge to that future by improving today's energy systems. MITEI specifically focuses on Research, Education, Campus Energy Management, and Outreach in all areas of energy production, use, security, and environmental impact.

MITEI's Sustaining Member Program will provide a critical link in the energy innovation chain — the pairing of MIT's world-class research teams with the best in industry who will be responsible for moving many of the products of this collaboration into the energy marketplace. It will also provide key focus, research opportunities and critical funding for the next generation of energy technologists.

The merging of industry's "real-world" experience, vision and focused energy requirements with the creativity and research capabilities of MITEI's interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, economists, architects and planners, management and innovation experts, and social scientists, will provide a powerful transformative tool to help meet the energy "grand challenges" of the 21st century.

Program Governance

Seat on the MITEI Executive Committee (EC)

A Sustaining Member will have a rotating seat on the MITEI Executive Committee, consisting of the MIT VP for Research, faculty chair(s) of MITEI, the faculty heads of the "flagship" research thrusts, and MITEI Founding Members. The Executive Committee will meet annually to review MITEI's progress, provide strategic input and report to the MIT President. The Sustaining Member seat(s) on the MITEI EC will rotate annually.

Seat on the MITEI Governing Board

A Sustaining Member — along with the Founding Members, the faculty chair(s) of MITEI, the MIT Energy Council and the faculty heads of the major research thrusts — will meet at least once a year after MITEI's Annual Research Review Conference. The Board will evaluate MITEI's research portfolio, serve as the Program Advisory Committee to the Energy Research Seed Fund and have access to all of its proposals and results.

Joint Oversight for Member's Sponsored Research

Each Sustaining Member will designate a researcher/manager to work with an MIT PI to oversee and guide the sponsored research.

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Research Focus Areas

 

Program Highlights

Sponsored Research Program (SRP)

A Sustaining Member will direct 65% of its MITEI contribution to targeted research projects or research consortia of special interest (with allowance credit for current energy research funding at MIT). Sustaining Member contributions beyond the threshold level will be dedicated to the SRP.

Energy Research Seed Fund (ERSF)

A Sustaining Member will pool 10% of its threshold contribution with that of other MITEI Sustaining and Founding Members to seed early-stage innovative research projects across the campus. The Governing Board will review all ERSF proposals and provide advice to the MITEI Energy Council.

Sustaining Member Fellowship Program

Sustaining Member's contribution will support two Named Energy Fellows at MIT.

MITEI Program Direction

A Sustaining Member's contribution will support the MITEI program staff, solely dedicated to achieving the goals of the Initiative. A Sustaining Member's contribution will include automatic membership in the MIT Industrial Liaison Program (with credit for current membership).

Research Results

For SRP supported research, a Sustaining Member shall have the option to obtain a worldwide, royalty-bearing commercial license for patented technology, with the right to sublicense.

In addition, Sustaining Members will

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