exxon.jpg

Pablo Debenedetti (left), dean for research at Princeton University, and Vijay Swarup, vice president of research and development for ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Co., signed documents establishing the partnership at a recent ceremony on the Princeton campus. (Courtesy of Princeton University | Frank Wojciechowski)

PRINCETON — ExxonMobil has signed a five-year, $5 million deal with Princeton University to pursue research on energy and the environment, officials announced Thursday.

The oil and gas company joins Princeton E-filliates Partnership, a program founded in 2011 in which corporate officials and university experts work together on research.

Princeton's Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment administers the E-ffiliates program in collaboration with the Princeton Environmental Institute, the School of Architecture and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

"Developing economically viable solutions requires the collaborative efforts of industry, government and academia," Princeton University's dean for research Pablo Debenedetti said in a statement. "We are delighted that ExxonMobil is joining E-ffiliates, broadening the vibrant collaboration between Princeton and leading industry partners in the energy and environmental sectors."

ExxonMobil's deal represents the largest financial commitment to the E-ffiliates program, university officials said. The company will immediately begin working with research groups across the university, including selected graduate students and post-doctoral researchers, who will be designated as ExxonMobil Fellows.

"This investment is a part of ExxonMobil's broad commitment to partner with the best and brightest universities to research and discover next-generation energy solutions," said Vijay Swarup, vice president of Research and Development for ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company. "Our goal is to find meaningful and scalable solutions to meet global energy demand."

Lynn Loo, associate director of external partnerships at the Andlinger Center, said the agreement will accelerate research by creating a framework that makes it easy for any business unit of Exxon Mobil Corporation to undertake research projects with any department or lab at Princeton.

E-ffiliates will host a visitor-in-residence from ExxonMobil, who will work on research initiatives and collaborations across campus, the school said.

Nicole Mulvaney may be reached at nmulvaney@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @NicoleMulvaney. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.