Climate + Sustainability Systems

In the NEET Climate and Sustainability Systems (CSS) thread, you will have the opportunity to explore new materials and processes, energy production and distribution, and manufacturing.

About CSS

The NEET Climate and Sustainability Systems (CSS) thread provides the necessary training to innovate materials, devices, processes, and networked systems to support the imperative transition towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and a more sustainable planet. The CSS thread emphasizes decarbonization across our energy and industrial systems, while maintaining awareness of the potential for unintended consequences in shifting the burden to other social, economic, and environmental metrics of sustainability. 
Students in the CSS thread will study the fundamentals that govern the performance of materials used in various manufacturing processes and the transport phenomena associated with using them, learn the design methods, machine controls, and the application of advanced processes to meet industry needs, develop and implement novel and scalable manufacturing processes that meet fundamental thermodynamics, mechanics, and design constraints, and acquire the ability to address the challenges of new manufacturing processes, including automation, process control, near net shape processing, and rapid prototyping.

CSS Thread Requirements

Students must complete the following requirements to obtain a NEET Climate and Sustainability Systems Certificate from the MIT School of Engineering.

  • Sophomore Year

    Introductory Project Subject:
    ● 3.0061/22.03 | Introduction to Design Thinking and Rapid Prototyping (6 units)

  • Junior Year

    Intermediate HASS Subject:
    ● 21A.S01 | Anthro-Engineering: Decarbonization at the Million-Person Scale (12 units)
    NEET Capstone Project Subject (Can be taken Junior and/or Senior Year):
    ● 22.S094 | NEET Mongolia Project Capstone (12 units) or UROP/SuperUROP related to climate or energy
    Elective Capstone-Level Project Subjects (Can be taken Junior and/or Senior Year; Choose ONE of the following):
    ● 2.S981 | Special Subject in Mechanical Engineering● 3.042 | Materials Project Laboratory● 2.013 | Engineering Systems Design● 10.467 | Polymer Science Laboratory● 10.492 (A+B) | Integrated Chemical Engineering Topics I (6 + 6 units)● 10.493 | Integrated Chemical Engineering Topics II (6 units)● 10.494 (A+B) | Integrated Chemical Engineering Topics III (6 + 6 units)● Or other advanced projects class

  • Senior Year

    NEET Capstone Project Subject (Can be taken Junior and/or Senior Year):

    ● 22.S094 | NEET Mongolia Project Capstone (12 units) or UROP/SuperUROP related to climate or energy

    Elective Capstone-Level Project Subjects (Can be taken Junior and/or Senior Year; Choose ONE of the following):
    ● 2.S981 | Special Subject in Mechanical Engineering
    ● 3.042 | Materials Project Laboratory
    ● 2.013 | Engineering Systems Design
    ● 10.467 | Polymer Science Laboratory
    ● 10.492 (A+B) | Integrated Chemical Engineering Topics I (6 + 6 units)
    ● 10.493 | Integrated Chemical Engineering Topics II (6 units)
    ● 10.494 (A+B) | Integrated Chemical Engineering Topics III (6 + 6 units)
    ● Or other advanced projects class

  • Seminar

    Seminar (Enroll for at least 3 semesters over the course of 3 years):
    ● 3.006/22.003 | NEET CSS Seminar
    A speaker series featuring conversations with guest speakers from academia and industry who are experts in energy, materials, or manufacturing, career input, special hands-on engagements, and technically focused independent study options thereafter.

CSS Projects

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Prototyping to Full Production

Scholars will learn about the tools of additive and advanced manufacturing: 3D printing, powder and casting processes, advanced polymer processing approaches, and more. You will then apply this knowledge to specific projects: aerospace, electronics, automotive, energy, healthcare, or any other domain in which you have an interest. Along the way, you will discover how to scale up materials-intensive manufacturing enterprises from prototyping to full production. 

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Energy with little to no CO2 or greenhouse emissions

Energy-focused subjects look at any sources of energy storage, conversion, transmission, and production which produce little to no CO2 or greenhouse emissions, and at best actually reduce them. This includes wind, solar, hydropower, nuclear fission and fusion, electric vehicles, gas with carbon sequestration, the hydrogen economy (fuel cells), and grid-scale energy storage.

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An Urgent Challenge

Every nation on earth except one recently affirmed their willingness to decrease CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, recognizing the issues and challenges facing the creation of a new, ultra-clean base load energy generation system for developed and developing nations.

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Explore the Technical, Economic, and Societal Aspects of Renewable Energy

The CSS thread will prepare you to fully participate and lead in the creation of the world’s truly low-carbon grids and systems. You will receive a solid foundation in the technical, economic, and societal aspects of low-carbon energy generation and distribution.

CSS Classes

CSS scholars take a series of 12-unit unrestricted elective classes throughout the three-year program. All the classes are accompanied by weekly seminars featuring guest speakers from industry, academia, and government who address a variety of issues under the thread theme.

3.0061/22.03
3.006/22.003
22.S094
MIT NEET - Advanced Materials Machines

3.0061/22.03 | Introduction to Design

This subject provides hands-on experiences in creativity, problem scoping, prototyping, system design and integration, problem solving and debugging, and portfolio design and communication. 

MIT NEET - Advanced Materials Machines

3.006/22.003| NEET CSS Seminar

The CSS Seminar is brings scholars together around a series of colloquia with professional engineers and industry experts, and into various labs and fabrication facilities on campus to gain hands-on experience with a wide range of materials and processes.

MIT NEET - Advanced Materials Machines

22.S094 | NEET Ulaanbaatar Project

This subject offers a collaborative opportunity to study the particularities of the local culture, environment, political climate, and economy in Ulaanbaatar in order to design a sustainable, flameless thermal heat source made from molten nitrate salts.

CSS Thread Leadership

Illustration

Professor Michael Short

Founding Faculty Lead, Climate + Sustainability Systems, NEET
Associate Director, NEET

MIT School of Engineering

Illustration

Dr. Nathan Melenbrink

Lecturer and Founding Lead Instructor, Climate + Sustainability Systems, NEET

MIT School of Engineering

FAQ

  • Who is eligible for the CSS thread?

    All majors are welcome to join.

  • Will I get a certificate?

    Yes, upon completing your SB degree and the NEET requirements you will also gain a NEET Certificate in Climate and Sustainability Systems from the School of Engineering.

  • What benefits may I expect from being in CSS?

    The thread emphasizes interdisciplinary team-work, research output and individual mentoring. As such, you will benefit from exposure to a variety of interesting work being carried out by research labs from across all participating majors.