Convening the People Shaping Energy's Next Decade
The Columbia University Energy Symposium (CUES) 2026, hosted by students at Columbia University, will take place on November 6, 2026, on Columbia's campus in New York City.
Now in its 22nd edition, CUES is one of the largest student-led energy conferences in the country, bringing together students, policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, academics, and industry leaders for timely, action-centered discourse on the forces reshaping the global energy sector. Since its founding in 2005, the Symposium has convened more than 4,000 participants across two decades.
The theme of this year's Symposium is the next decade of energy. Over the course of the day, speakers will address the issues defining that decade including energy security in a shifting geopolitical landscape, the state of U.S. electricity markets, new approaches to permitting reform, and what it takes to move next-generation energy technologies to institutional-scale bankability.
Beyond panel programming, this year's Symposium includes a pitch competition, lunch roundtables, networking sessions, an energy careers bootcamp with Talisman Advisory Partners, and programming hosted by the Columbia Energy Association's Women in Clean Energy group.
Throughout the day, CUES will host its annual Career Fair, connecting more than 300 students with companies hiring across energy policy, finance, and technology, making it one of Columbia's largest energy-focused recruiting and relationship-building forums.
Featured Past Speakers
Roger Martella
Chief Sustainability Officer, GE Vernova
Shari Friedman
Managing Director, Climate and Sustainability Eurasia Group
Doreen Harris
President & CEO at NYSERDA
Justin Driscoll
President and CEO of NYPA
David Turk
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy (2021-2025)
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee
Levi Patterson
Director of Energy, Science, and AI Infrastructure Policy, NVIDIA
Cheryl LaFleur
Chairwoman, FERC
The Columbia Energy Association (CEA) is the largest student-led organization at Columbia University. Originally founded in 2005 through the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), it has expanded its membership across four gradute schools, with partnerships across Columbia and the New York energy ecosystem. CEA is dedicated to improving professional opportunities for students and alumni across the world of clean energy.
Columbia Energy Association
Energy and Infrastructure Club
The Energy & Infrastructure Club is Columbia Business School's home for students who want to build careers in energy and infrastructure. With roughly 200 members, it's an industry-focused community built to deepen business knowledge, open doors to professionals across the sector, and connect members to career opportunities.
The club goes beyond desktop research. Members travel to Houston for treks that put them on the ground with the companies and operations driving the industry. Year-round, the club offers career mentorship and recruiting insights to help members land roles across energy and infrastructure.
