Samuel Blumenstiel TH'20
Major: Dual Degree Student — Bachelor of Engineering with a Mechanical Engineering Concentration, Dartmouth | Physics, Skidmore CollegeHometown: Newton, MA
As a dual-degree student at Skidmore College and Dartmouth, Sam Blumenstiel knew that to complete his Dartmouth bachelor of engineering degree in two years, he'd have to focus on his mechanical engineering concentration coursework. "As a result, I have actually never partaken in any energy-specific courses at Dartmouth. However," Sam explains, "I have had the opportunity to engage in energy through volunteering at the WindAid Institute [an organization that facilitates volunteer projects building wind turbines for small communities in Peru] and through my ENGS 89-90 capstone project: a renewable energy pilot project for Fond-des-Blancs, Haiti."
As part of the research for his renewable energy capstone project, Sam got the opportunity to travel around Puerto Rico to learn more about rural electrification projects and disaster recovery. "This was an awesome experience, as it allowed me to meet many people involved in rural electrification engineering as well as see firsthand several historical sights and community electrification projects."
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While Sam is continuing to mull over his post-graduation possibilities, he is excited about and hopeful for the possibilities that renewable energy offer for a better world. "This is a really exciting time for renewable energy engineering. Wind and solar are finally caught up with fossil fuels in terms of cost, and new ways of implementing them such as decentralized grids are becoming financially viable. With all of this, I think we are on the road to seeing a huge turnover in the energy industry towards renewables, which makes it a really exciting time to join the workforce."