‘Why My Fellowship Matters’: Godwin Obi

The eldest of five children and a first-generation college student, Godwin Obi was inspired to study mechanical engineering while apprenticing at his father’s auto shop in Nigeria. 

“My dad showed me the value of creative risk-taking and how experience extends beyond theory,” Obi said. “Working with him made me care about moving things forward in meaningful ways” 

After earning his degree from the University of Nigeria and interning at Procter & Gamble in Lagos, Obi joined a startup dedicated to decarbonizing logistics operations for Nigerian manufacturers. This experience sparked Obi’s interest in clean energy. After learning about Princeton’s ZERO Lab, he successfully applied to study with the lab’s principal investigator, Jesse Jenkins, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment. The second-year graduate student is researching pathways to zero-emissions natural gas power plants across developed markets like the U.S. and gas-rich emerging markets like Nigeria. 

“I strongly believe that developed and emerging economies can drive rapid economic growth and industrialization without the grave social costs of air pollution and climate change,” Obi said. 

In 2025, he spent the summer at the World Bank in Washington, D.C., supporting sustainable infrastructure investments through the GradFUTURES social impact fellowship program.