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Resnick Sustainability Institute

Administers Resnick Sustainability Institute in United States by relying on resnick.caltech.edu for program access and process guidance.

United Statesresnick.caltech.edu
Key stats
Annual funding—
Programs3
Active grants0
Total grants1
About

The Resnick Sustainability Institute is Caltech's internal sustainability institute in Pasadena. It advances global sustainability through science, engineering, and education, with work organized around Sunlight to Everything, Climate Science, Water Resources, and Ecology and Biosphere Engineering.

Its funding tools include the Explorer Grant, the Impact Grant, the Pioneer Postdoctoral Fellowship, and the RSI-WAVE Fellowship. Explorer Grants offer up to $150,000 in direct costs over two years, the 2026 cycle set a May 27 deadline, and the grants are Caltech-only, while the externally accessible roles are the hosted fellowships.

RSI fits researchers working on climate, energy, agritech, biotech, materials, or related sustainability problems that can be framed against one of its four themes. Founded in 2009 after a major Resnick gift and directed by Jonas C. Peters, it operates as a campus institute rather than an outside foundation, with annual proposal rounds and fellowship review centered on the Caltech community each year.

Programs & grants under this funder
RSI Explorer Grant

Funds exploratory sustainability research at Caltech with broad support for unconventional investigator ideas.

1 grant
RSI Explorer Grant
Opens 2027
— pool
RSI Pioneer Postdoctoral Fellowship

Funds Caltech postdoctoral researchers in sustainability who require protected time to advance independent studies.

RSI-WAVE Fellowship

Supports non-Caltech undergraduates at Caltech through a sustainability-focused summer fellowship for future PhDs.

Last verified: 28 May 2026Source: resnick.caltech.edu