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Events & Partnerships

Climate Solutions Hackathon
The 4th Annual Wilkes Climate Solutions Hackathon will be Feb 27-Mar 2, 2026. The climate solutions hackathon challenges undergraduate and graduate students from any discipline to team-up and develop proposals in a slide deck within 24 hours.
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Wilkes Summit
The annual Wilkes Climate Summit at the University of Utah brings together leading policymakers, nationally-recognized scientists, foundations, and innovators to discuss the most promising and cutting-edge solutions for climate change.
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Speaker Series
The Wilkes Center Speaker Series provides a welcoming venue for scientists, researchers, and policymakers to discuss challenges and solutions for the defining issue of our age - climate change. The series seeks to create a platform for distinguished researchers to share insights, to foster meaningful opportunities for dialogue and collaboration, and to enhance awareness and motivate effective policy action.
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Fireside Chat with Clean Energy Leaders

Categories: Event, Speaker

Fireside Chat with Clean Energy Leaders Who: CEOs from major renewable energy companies including Sol Systems, Nextpower, SOLV Energy, and DESRI, and others. What: Fireside Chat and Reception with Clean Energy CEOs Where: Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy When: April 13, 2026, 3:00 to 5:00 PM Parking options available upon request The Wilkes […]

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March 10, 2026
The Wilkes Policy Prize for Climate Leadership is an award recognizing exceptional leadership that demonstrates foresight, initiative, and collaboration in addressing the complex challenges of the changing climate. To qualify, candidates must be able to demonstrate engagement with policymaking that impacts Utah. Candidates can be considered from a broad range of fields including business, policymaking, or community engagement. All nominations are due by February 28, 2026.
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University of Utah researchers are engaged in a number of projects to develop new technologies and policy mechanisms to advance resilience, prevention, and forecasting ability with wildfires.
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Our Mission & Focus Areas

Mission<br />Statement
Mission
Statement
The Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy at the University of Utah strives to provide transformative, integrative, and cutting-edge science, education, entrepreneurship, and practical solutions to tackle climate change in Utah, the United States, and the globe. Researchers affiliated with the Wilkes Center are working on the defining issues of our age.
ABOUT US
Climate<br />Solutions
Climate
Solutions
In collaboration with stakeholders and multiple partners, Wilkes Center researchers analyze and innovate on climate solutions, aiming to inform policy in key areas of water resources, climate extremes, and nature-based climate solutions.
Climate<br />Impacts
Climate
Impacts
Wilkes Center scholars are illuminating climate impacts on local communities, economies, ecosystems, and human health in Utah and around the globe and are developing key tools to mitigate, adapt, and manage climate impacts.
Climate<br />Forecasting
Climate
Forecasting
The Wilkes Center aims to support and develop state-of-the-art science around near-term forecasts and longer-term projections of key climate changes with major societal impacts and to make this information available for decision-makers.

Research Focus Map Tool

See where Wilkes Center researchers are focused on campus, across Utah, and around the world.

First-ever energy and climate hackathon at U Asia Campus
At The U April 15, 2026

The Wilkes Center hosted the 24-hour challenge where students win prizes for developing innovative, practical...

Doorway into wonder
Science.utah.edu April 6, 2026

Science, Literature and Euphoria: Special Event with visiting mycologist Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian and U poet...

What’s driving Salt Lake City’s downward emissions trends?
Science.utah.edu April 2, 2026

Emissions of two major pollutants have steadily decreased over the past two decades

What’s driving Salt Lake City’s downward emissions trends?
At The U April 1, 2026

Emissions of NOx and carbon monoxide have dropped on the city’s streets since 2005, according...

SRI Stories
Science.utah.edu March 27, 2026

From a passion for paleontology to anthropology and climate science

Tour de force
At The U March 11, 2026

U and Université Côte d’Azur students again team up to tackle energy and climate solutions...

Forging the Future
Researcher Spotlight August 6, 2025 News, Spotlight
William Anderegg Passes Wilkes Center Leadership Baton Forward
Researcher Spotlight June 19, 2025 News, people, Spotlight

Anderegg has established a legacy of communicating science and convening innovators at The Wilkes Center...

Gracyn Lia Hinojosa
Researcher Spotlight May 6, 2025 Spotlight

When you try to imagine ‘anthropology’, your mental image might be a bit vague. If...

Wilkes JD Fellowship
A new initiative in partnership with the S.J. Quinney College of Law’s Wallace Stegner Center for supporting U of U law students who are committed to addressing climate, energy, and environmental challenges through legal and policy scholarship and work. Deadline for submissions: February 15, 2026
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Wilkes Center Postdoctoral Program
Offers two-year postdoctoral fellowships for recent PhDs in sciences that address studies with relevance to the Wilkes Center climate research and climate policy goals. Deadline for submissions: January 31, 2026
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Undergraduate Funding
The Wilkes Scholars Program enables students to explore pressing climate challenges through transformative research.
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Faculty Seed Grants
Apply to receive funding support for impactful research surrounding climate change, as well as the policy impacts.
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Wilkes Dissertation Fellowship Program
This fellowship supports the dissertation writing phase for Ph.D. candidates whose dissertation projects focus around the broad themes of climate science and climate policy.
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Research and Conference Travel Award
Provides graduates and undergraduates travel funding for research OR the opportunity to present their climate science and policy research to the academic community. One-time award, $500 max.
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The Wilkes Center Podcast

Conversations about transformative research happening in the fields of climate science and policy at the University of Utah.

From new renewable energy technologies and other potential solutions, to improved forecasting tools, to enhanced understanding of ecological, health, or community impacts, it’s hard to keep up with all of the climate change research and innovation now happening across the U.  Talking Climate brings University of Utah climate change researchers and their work into focus.  Talking Climate is hosted and produced by Ross Chambless, Community Engagement Manager for the Wilkes Center.

35: Wastewater Treatment Could be a Solution for Cleaner, More Efficient Fertilizer

Interview Summary Founder and CEO Margaret Lumley describes how Roca Water is developing electrochemical technology to recover ammonium from wastewater and convert it into fertilizer, addressing both water pollution and...

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34: Climate Change Should Be Funnier. Seriously.

Interview Summary This episode of Talking Climate examines how humor can be used to communicate climate change more effectively. Through clips from well-known comedians and an in-depth discussion with University...

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33: How Utahns Could Support a Tax on Carbon Emissions

Episode Intro A couple years ago, a Utah statewide ballot initiative called Clean the Darn Air was proposed to tackle the persistent air pollution which Wasatch Front residents deal with...

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32: Could Lab-generated Lactoferrin Be Healthier, Cheaper, and Better for the Planet?

Episode Intro One of the two runners up for the Wilkes Center Climate Launch Prize this past year is De Novo Foodlabs, a startup with operations in North Carolina and...

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Where to Find Us

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Donate to the Wilkes Center

You can help us to catalyze innovative science and solutions to address climate change!

Donations to the Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy at the University of Utah will support our efforts to provide transformative, integrative, and cutting-edge science, education, entrepreneurship, and practical solutions to tackle climate change in Utah, the United States, and the globe. Researchers affiliated with the Wilkes Center are working on the defining issues of our age.

Founders

Clay and Marie Wilkes have worked on humanitarian projects for decades,
leading education and economic initiatives in Salt Lake City, Peru, and Nepal.

The Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy was created in 2022 as a result of their
desire to urgently address threats created by climate change. Learn more about the donation