The establishment of the Shell Chair in Sustainable Development in Energy is part of a broader partnership between Shell and Imperial College aimed at stimulating research, teaching and public awareness of sustainable development in the energy sector.
Based in the Department of Earth Science and Engineering, part of Imperial College's Faculty of Engineering, the holder of the Shell Chair in Sustainable Development in Energy will be the focus for development of a new Imperial College-wide research programme in sustainable development in energy while also acting as an 'ambassador' for sustainable development technology and its concepts.
Imperial College will seek applicants with expertise in a range of sustainable development in energy research fronts including geothermal energy, bio-remediation, sustainable use of the subsurface, migration to the hydrogen economy and carbon dioxide sequestration.
Shell believes that a commitment to a sustainable future is key to its long-term business success. Last year Shell led the energy sector in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the second year running, with its performance in sustainable development reporting described as 'best in class', and the growth of its renewables business and approach to carbon-based emissions noted.
Professor John Perkins, Principal of the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial said: "Imperial College has identified sustainable development in energy as a key interdisciplinary research area and is committed to bringing engineers and scientists together with industrial partners to find and develop energy solutions addressing major social, economic and environmental concerns. This partnership with Shell and their generous sponsorship of the Shell Chair in Sustainable Development in Energy is an important step in the long term development of this emerging field."
Clive Mather, Chairman of Shell UK Limited, said: "Shell shares with Imperial College a commitment to finding innovative ways to meet the world's present and future energy needs. Partnerships like this are great for business and for academia. They not only improve the two-way flow of information, but also provide a platform for new thinking and initiatives."
The establishment of the Shell Chair in Sustainable Development in Energy expands an existing relationship between Shell and Imperial College, which already includes joint research and the secondment of staff. Shell also funds the Shell Chair of Petroleum Geology currently held by Professor Howard Johnson. Six graduates from Imperial College joined Shell companies in 2002.
In 2002 Shell companies funded Chairs to further the study of sustainable development in the United States, the Philippines and Norway, including a $3.5 million endowment to create the Shell Center for Sustainability at Rice University in Houston.