Luke Ferland describes himself as an “Energy Engineer and Technology teacher eager to transfer his knowledge of alternative energy systems and environmental stewardship to his students.”
Ferland attended the NY Institute of Technology and received a Bachelors of Science in Technology Education and is currently putting the finishing touches on his Masters of Science in Energy Management. Prior to becoming a teacher, Ferland was an Energy Engineer, specifically concentrating on energy studies, large boiler design and Cogeneration plant design for multi-family buildings in Manhattan. He also provided energy reduction studies for textile process lines in China.
As a new technology teacher at the middle school and the high school, Ferland also identifies himself as a “competition enthusiast”. He explains, “While in college I won a competition for sustainable building design hosted by the USS Intrepid Museum in NYC, along with conducting research in biofuels. As a competitor on a college level, I know the value of engaging students in hands-on projects that offer the potential of a reward.”
Recently, Ferland held a kick-off meeting for high school students interested in a solar design competition where student teams will compete for up to $5,000 in scholarships and a grand prize trip to the 2014 Solar Decathlon in Versailles in June and July. EmPower Solar of Island Park is collecting entries from Long Island and New York City high school students.
Ferland now has two teams that are eager to enter the fray of competition. There are 67 teams competing this year, so the competition is steep! The students will not be physically designing a solar array, however, they will be creating a written “deliverable” plan for a project to a specific customer and a YouTube video explaining their project. To create the report and video, students will have to do research and also attend after school classes given by Ferland, which will educate them on solar energy systems with real world tools and examples.
One of the first learning experiences included a visit to one of the teams “customer location” at the new Marine Station on the Stony Brook Southampton Campus to take site measurements. The students performed tests and a site evaluation.
Now it’s back to the drawing board where these students will be discovering and learning to communicate the benefits of solar power through a competition that will combine science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and creativity. What could be better?
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