FIRST robotics inspired my love for engineering, but it also helped me recognize that I have to be the solution to the world's problems. When Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST robotics, gave his speech at the 2020 FIRST robotics opening ceremony, he spoke about the ever-growing energy crisis. Yet he said he was not worried, because my generation would be prepared to find solutions. I remember sitting in the back of my dad's truck, watching the livestream, and suddenly realizing that I needed to help develop and install renewable energy. There was no moment of hesitation, with a few simple words I had discovered my career goal. As I studied different types of renewable energy generation, I found myself particularly intrigued by photovoltaic (PV) modules, commonly known as solar panels. While this may not be a "new" technology, in the past 10 years there have been a huge surge in solar technological breakthroughs. I have already taken a few courses that focus on renewable energy sources, and PV modules are always the most widely accepted renewable energy generation source by the general public. Energy collected from PV modules also tends to be cheaper than energy from coal or natural gas plants. PV modules are currently only about 20% efficient, but they have so much potential. I see PV modules as a puzzle; if you strategically place them, you can optimize the efficiency of the space. My favorite growing solar array design is called agrivoltaics, which has been gaining popularity with the push for cleaner energy. This allows a field to hold both PV modules and low-growing crops or grass for grazing animals. Developing technology also allows PV modules to be placed almost anywhere: my solar consulting group within Michigan Tech's Alternative Energy Enterprise designed solar configurations to sit in fields, on old landfill sites, and on rooftops. PV modules can also track the movements of the sun, absorb sunlight reflected off the ground... the possibilities are endless! There are even see-through PV modules that can replace windows. And as our nation becomes more tech savvy, we can even consider placing PV modules in space to have 100% efficiency. Once I graduate, I would love to work designing PV modules or to be with a PV module consulting agency to help others install solar arrays. My thriving passion for PV modules along with my previous consulting experiences will make me an excellent candidate for one of these job positions. I want to be on the front lines of the renewable energy transition, and if I can help as many people and organizations come closer to net-zero carbon emissions, I can feel satisfied knowing that my passion helped save our planet and save my clients some money.

FIRST robotics inspired my love for engineering, but it also helped me recognize that I have to be the solution to the world's problems. When Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST robotics, gave his speech at the 2020 FIRST robotics opening ceremony, he spoke about the ever-growing energy crisis. Yet he said he was not worried, because my generation would be prepared to find solutions. I remember sitting in the back of my dad's truck, watching the livestream, and suddenly realizing that I needed to help develop and install renewable energy. There was no moment of hesitation, with a few simple words I had discovered my career goal. As I studied different types of renewable energy generation, I found myself particularly intrigued by photovoltaic (PV) modules, commonly known as solar panels. I have already taken a few courses that focus on renewable energy sources, and PV modules are always the most widely accepted renewable energy generation source by the general public. Energy collected from PV modules also tends to be cheaper than energy from coal or natural gas plants. PV modules are currently only about 20% efficient, but they have so much potential. I see PV modules as a puzzle; if you strategically place them, you can optimize the efficiency of the space. My favorite growing solar array design is called agrivoltaics. This allows a field to hold both PV modules and low-growing crops or grass for grazing animals. Developing technology also allows PV modules to be placed almost anywhere: my solar consulting group within Michigan Tech's Alternative Energy Enterprise designed solar configurations to sit in fields, on old landfill sites, and on rooftops. PV modules can also track the movements of the sun, absorb sunlight reflected off the ground... the possibilities are endless! There are even see-through PV modules that can replace windows. And as our nation becomes more tech savvy, we can even consider placing PV modules in space to have 100% efficiency. Once I graduate, I would love to work designing PV modules or to be with a PV module consulting agency to help others install solar arrays. My thriving passion for PV modules along with my previous consulting experiences will make me an excellent candidate for one of these job positions. I want to be on the front lines of the renewable energy transition, and if I can help as many people and organizations come closer to net-zero carbon emissions, I can feel satisfied knowing that my passion helped save our planet and save my clients some money.

The piece of technology that captivated me from a young age and pushed me toward my current career is solar panels. When somebody thinks about renewable energy, one of the first technologies that come to mind are solar panels. Solar energy has so much potential to develop in multiple ways. The efficiency of the modules themselves can be enhanced, and the different solar pattern tracking devices also allow the panels to generate more energy. As we move into a paradigm where renewable energy will become the majority of energy portfolios, solar panels will be widely installed. Besides providing clean, renewable energy, the mass installation of solar panels will also produce jobs. These jobs will be evenly spread throughout all demographics, as solar energy can be implemented in any part of the world, even if it would be more efficient elsewhere. Despite common belief, solar panels can be installed in ways that will not take away from agricultural and architectural land. Agrivoltaics is an emerging combination of solar panel plots with grazing land for animal or crops, which can allow land plots to be dual purposed. There are also several exciting technologies allowing solar to be implemented in regions without a lot of land available, such as solar windows that can be installed in skyscrapers and other buildings with many windows. Knowing that solar energy generation has so much potential for growth without harming the environment while still providing jobs encourages me to continue pursuing my degree and continue protecting the planet.

When I first joined my high school's FIRST robotics team and told them I wanted to help build the robot, the coach's first response was "you know you'll have to get your hands dirty to do that, right?" I had barely entered the STEM world, and I was instantly being discriminated against because I was a women. This event made me realize very young that in order to overcome these challenges, I had to use them as fuel in my endeavors. Not even three months later, I had learned how to use all the equipment in the room and took on the responsibility of building our team's safety program. A year later, the safety program I cultivated earned awards at the district and at the state level. Another year later, I became the head for the mechanical build team and started training new members to carry on our safety culture. Once I started considering my career and college choice, I combined my desire to succeed in the engineering field as a women and combined it with another one of my ideals: sustainability. Not only do I want to set an example for women pursing STEM fields, but I also want to actively combat climate change. These led me to pursue a degree in electrical power engineering, with a goal of working with renewable energy. Even though I have not completed my bachelor's degree, I am already gaining experience in the renewable energy industry. Last semester, I was able to join our school's Alternative Energy Enterprise, and joined the Solar Consulting Team. We finished a project on an island, a project at a private art school, and began a project for a tribal college. Each project is so diverse with its own challenges, but helping each group offset their carbon output was extremally rewarding. I want to continue to help all types of people, all types of institutions and businesses overcome adversity and protect the planet we all share.