Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago

The Energy Policy Institute at Chicago (EPIC) is an interdisciplinary research institute focused on increasing global access to reliable, affordable energy needed for growth while minimizing social and environmental damages. EPIC is confronting this challenge by uncovering the true costs of our energy choices so that decision makers are informed and policies and technologies take account of the ways in which human behavior and social norms influence the energy system. Because the complexity of the energy challenge requires an interdisciplinary approach, EPIC acts as a hub for energy and environmental research that links the University of Chicago’s renowned social scientists with leading thinkers at the Harris School of Public Policy and the Law School, the innovative business minds at the Booth School of Business, the data scientists at the Computation Institute, and the engineers and natural scientists throughout the University such as at the Institute for Molecular Engineering and at Argonne National Laboratory.

By leveraging these world-class minds with a wide variety of expertise, and following in the University of Chicago tradition of inquiry and impact, EPIC researchers are bringing unrivaled analytical capacity to bear in addressing the global energy challenge. At the same time, the Institute is working directly with global leaders to help them make important decisions that will impact our future, while also educating and mentoring the energy leaders of tomorrow.