The Vanderbilt Center for Sustainability, Energy, and Climate (VSEC), established in 2024 and housed in Vanderbilt University’s School of Engineering, joined the Earth System Governance Project (ESGP) as its newest Research Centre in January 2026. Drawing on its breadth and diversity in research and collaboration, VSEC advances interdisciplinary research, education, and entrepreneurship on sustainability, energy and climate, engaging world-class expertise across engineering, science, law, policy and education.
Focusing on four core themes: (i) Energy Integration, (ii) Resource Sustainability, (iii) Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, and (iv) Systems Risk, Reliability and Resilience, VSEC tackles complex and dynamic global challenges such as wildfires, water justice, extreme heat, energy transitions, ecological disruptions, and carbon sequestration.
VSEC’s primary contact is Law Professor J.B. Ruhl.