Extracurricular Activities
Electrochemistry Club, semi-pro jazz musician, bandleader, and producer (www.lonefirhotclub.com), outdoorsman and amateur birder, yoga student and former instructor
A Little Bit About Me
My path to Oregon Tech is non-standard and hopefully inspiring to any non-traditional students. I hold an MA in philosophy and BA degrees in music theory and history. March 2020 was tumultuous for many, myself included. I was contributing to the community through employment at a local yoga studio, part-time work in fine dining, and in music, both playing and teaching. The start of the pandemic erased all of this. I said yes to a desire to participate in the renewable energy evolution. By May 2020, I was accepted into Oregon Tech's B.S. REE and was signed up for my first coursework in the summer term. In addition to my schoolwork and the extracurriculars listed above, I am a Market Research Analyst for Mayfield Renewables. My wife and I have been Portlanders for 6+ years.
Why I Chose Oregon Tech and My Major
We face some unprecedented societal, economic, and technological challenges: climate change and the energy transition it necessitates. I feel compelled to do my part in the next 25+ years.
My Influential Professors
At Oregon Tech, I'd like to say thank you to Drs. David Hammond, David Johnston, and Robert Melendy. All three are excellent communicators and have challenged me.
My Greatest Learning Experience At Oregon Tech
Studying engineering, especially with emergent and evolving technologies like electrochemical energy storage, constantly pushes one's knowledge boundaries and comfort zones. The biggest lessons of my Oregon Tech studies have brought me have been to: a) stay patient with yourself, b) be constantly curious, c) cultivate a growth mindset-- just because you are unfamiliar or ignorant of something now does not define your potential competence at the end of the term, year, or degree!
My Plans After Graduation
My main aim is to design and bring to market (or support directly those who do) electrochemical energy storage solutions that empower intermittent renewable energy generation tech, e.g. solar and wind. Even more specifically, I aim to help advance long-duration energy storage both at utility scale and the commercial, industrial, and community co-op "middle market" scale.