Leonardo Committee - Degree prize "G.S.E. - ENERGY SERVICES MANAGER"

What you get

The 6-month paid internship is awarded by G.S.E. SpA (Gestore Servizi Energetici), Italy’s state-owned energy utility. The prize is awarded to an outstanding Master’s thesis on the topics of the energy transition, renewable energies and energy efficiency. The winner is honoured at a ceremony at the Quirinale in Rome in the presence of the President of the Republic. The prize is awarded by the ‘Comitato Leonardo’, an Italian committee dedicated to promoting high-quality Italian industry, and is funded by G.S.E. Until around 2022, the prize consisted of a one-off cash award of 3,000 EUR. From the 2024 edition onwards, this was replaced by a paid internship.

Who can apply

• Degree: You have written a Master’s thesis (Laurea Specialistica or Magistrale).
• Field of study: Your dissertation focuses on renewable energy, energy efficiency or the energy transition. Examples include: new technologies for generating renewable energy; the integration of renewable energy into electricity, gas or district heating networks; and digitalisation and self-consumption of energy.
• University: You have completed your degree at an Italian university.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply, provided they have studied in Italy.
• New work only: You have not previously submitted this work for a previous edition of the prize.

Your dissertation will be assessed on the basis of how innovative it is, the extent to which the findings are applicable in practice, and how effectively it integrates different specialist fields.

How to apply

Please send a signed entry form, your thesis in electronic form and an abstract of up to 6 pages to the General Secretariat of the Comitato Leonardo in Rome. The deadline is 31 October. A committee comprising members of the Comitato Leonardo’s Executive Board and the President of the G.S.E. will select the winner on the recommendation of the G.S.E.

How realistic are your chances?

This prize is awarded on a highly selective basis. Each year, only one final-year dissertation is recognised; it must deal explicitly with topics relating to the energy transition and must originate from an Italian university, meaning that the pool of eligible dissertations is small. If your Master’s thesis clearly aligns with these energy-related topics and stands out in terms of innovation and practical applicability, you have a genuine chance of winning. As this is a single, prestigious award, you must expect stiff competition from the very best theses in this field.