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         A HISTORY OF  INDUSTRY INFLUENCE

In order to support the continued use of oil and gas, fossil fuel companies have funded research centers that focus on energy, the environment, and climate change at universities across the United States for years. This has damaged academic integrity and delayed climate action. In addition to divesting, universities must dissociate stop accepting fossil fuel funding for research. 

Princeton Energy Research Fund 2022 

On November 209th, 2022 Princeton announced it had established an Energy Research Fund to "support fundamental and applied energy solutions research and foster collaboration with corporate partners".

There is no indication of where the $2 million per year has come from.  According to the university, the Energy Research Fund ($500,000 for fundamental energy research projects) will be administered by the Office of the Dean for Research and the Andlinger Center will distribute funding for research projects in collaboration with corporate partners. There is no limitation placed on the corporate partners - they could be fossil fuel companies. If there is no financial contribution from the corporate partner, they could also be companies on the dissociation list, including Exxon. 

fossil fuel funding at Princeton 

Since 2000, ExxonMobil and BP together have given over $35 million to the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment and the Climate Mitigation Initiative (CMI) at Princeton University. Over the last 5 years, the University has received $26.2 million in funding research from eleven oil and gas companies, with most of that coming from Exxon-Mobil and BP. Over the last 5 years, approximately 50 fossil-fuel related companies have recruited on campus.

In 2021, out of a total of $255,935,599 in sponsored funding, Princeton received $3,836,135 or 1.5% from 5 fossil fuel companies: 

BP International Limited                                   $2,088,995

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co.   $1,389,644

Shell Oil Company                                               $150,483

Syncrude Canada Ltd.                                            $61,937

TOTAL E&P Research & Technology USA, LLC $145,076

  • Over the last 5 years, approximately 50 fossil-fuel related companies have recruited on campus.

  • A number of Princeton trustees have links to fossil fuel companies.  

 Princeton Annual Funding Reports 

2021 - from page 26 - total value $3,836,135 

2020 - from page 25

2019 - from page 24

2018 - pages 32-33, 56, 60, 82, 95, 143

2017 - pages 31, 51, 52,58, 88, 89, 130

2016  

2015 

2014  

2013

2012 - pages 148-150 

2010-2011 - pages 143-145 

The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System

- a self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance

Princeton 2021 68.42

Princeton 2018 65.52

previous reports

"Money and Power at Princeton: What we see and what we don't."

Lynne Archibald, Naomi Cohen-Shields, Joseph Giguere, Alex Nguyen, and Tom Taylor (2/9/2021). Donors Fund Climate Denial: How Princeton’s Money Trail Undermines Its Own Research. Daily Princetonian.

Lynne Archibald, Naomi Cohen-Shields, Joseph Giguere, Alex Nguyen, and Tom Taylor (2/8/2021). What do you get for a donation to Princeton?. Daily Princetonian.

Sofia Hiltner and Lynne Archibald (2/7/2021). Where is our Princeton Forward?. Daily Princetonian.

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Graphic design by Ashley Chung

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