Superman saves the world with superpowers fueled by solar energy. At Illinois State University, College of Applied Science and Technology (CAST) students are learning to do the same.
Fifteen years ago, Illinois State developed the first interdisciplinary renewable energy major in the United States. Today, the sustainable and renewable energy program attracts students who nurture a passion for people and the planet they share.
“Sustainability has to do with providing for our needs right now without impacting society’s ability in the future to provide for their needs,” said Associate Professor of Technology Matt Aldeman who teaches classes in the program. “Renewable energy is a little bit different. Renewable energy means using energy at the same rate that it’s going to be replenished by natural sources. There’s quite a bit of overlap, but they’re not entirely overlapping concepts.”
With a broad set of courses in wind, solar, electric, and other forms of emerging environmental technologies, the program was created to address “real-world social, economic, and technical sustainability issues.”
Housed in Turner Hall, students in the program have access to all sorts of useful mechanics, including a sunlight simulating heliodon and a powerful wind tunnel. For Dr. Aldeman, it’s about so much more than cool tech.
“The students who are interested in this program are interested in energy, interested in making things work, and also interested in making a difference—a positive difference in the world, a positive difference in society,” said Aldeman.
Aldeman has taught many dedicated students in his decade as an instructor in the program. One such former student is Sara Keene ’19, now a launch service advisor at Rivian, an electric vehicle manufacturer with a plant in Normal. Keene is this year’s recipient of the Department of Technology’s Young Alumni Award and has always had a passion for protecting the planet.
“One of the most memorable things from my childhood was an Earth Day presentation. A woman came to our school and taught us about everything with sustainability. She taught us about what we could do as kids,” recalled Keene. “And for whatever reason, from that point forward, I remember thinking I wanted to save the world.”
Keene didn’t have sustainability in mind when she began her college studies. It wasn’t until a career test pointed out her passion for the environment that she realized what sort of world she wanted to make for herself—and everyone else.
“Even though (environmental work) was something I always wanted to do, I didn’t really think that it was something in my wheelhouse. Then I sat back and said, ‘Wait, why wouldn’t I be able to do that?’” Keene said. “I decided I was going to learn what I needed to get into a renewable energy program.”
With no technical background, Keene quickly realized she was going to need help to make her goals a reality.
“I went to my first class, and Dr. Aldeman was talking about wind velocity. I had no idea what he was talking about,” said Keene. “I met with him after class, and his willingness to help someone who was not coming from a technical background was incredible. He made it understandable in terms that I could comprehend, so that was no longer a hurdle for me.”
Today, Keene enjoys her work at Rivian, bringing her passion and skill set developed at Illinois State into every aspect of her career. Keene sees a bright future for those with a similar desire to “save the world.”
“The future of renewable energy is not going away,” said Keene. “Illinois State University’s sustainable and renewable energy program helps you break that barrier of technical knowledge so you can understand it in a much easier way.”
Another of Aldeman’s students was Oliver Ellen ’17, M.S. ’18, a senior manager of Utility Scale Development at RWE Clean Energy, a renewable energy company established over 15 years ago. For Ellen, who’d always had an interest in environmental science, the program was the perfect opportunity.
“I saw the renewable energy program as this up-and-coming field that not a lot of colleges were offering at the time, especially as a four-year program,” Ellen said.
It went beyond the lecture hall, and that’s where Ellen felt things click into place. He gained hands-on experience through an internship with Straight Up Solar, a locally operated company in Bloomington.
“I was able to get a six-month internship through Dr. Matt Alderman and Dr. Jin Jo,” said Ellen. “That was the biggest thing that allowed me to start applying what I learned in the classroom, and to get firsthand knowledge of not only how the solar systems work economically, but also how to pitch and sell them.”
Looking back at his time in the renewable energy program, Ellen has no regrets.
“I think the No. 1 thing a student worries about is: ‘Hey, am I going to be able to get a job at the end of this?’ Wind technician and solar technician are the first- and second-fastest growing jobs in the country. There are so many different avenues you can go with this major,” said Ellen. “Illinois State had the program I was passionate about, but it also had so many things outside the classroom that helped hone those skills and develop me personally. It feels like it’s a small campus, but there’s a lot of people with a lot of different areas of expertise and a lot of things you can learn at ISU.”
Another alum of the program, Ryan Wolber ’12, works at EDF Renewables North America as a senior project manager.
“While Oliver works for a different company than EDF, Oliver does the early-stage development of a project, getting the land, getting the permit,” Wolber said. “Once the project becomes something tangible, it’s handed over to somebody in my role to finish the engineering, equipment procurement and take the project through construction to completion and commercial operation.”
Wolber’s time in the sustainable and renewable energy program gave him the start he needed.
“The degree at that time was very interdisciplinary. You had to be able to learn new topics quickly and understand how, and why, they matter. In my job, I have to be able to switch topics quickly between hours of phone calls and meetings and understand how they all fit together,” said Wolber. “The degree played a part in my ability to do what I do today. There’s a direct correlation.”
Wolber and Ellen have also taken the time to reach back out to the campus they came from, organizing an alumni resource group for students and doing their best to pass on the torch.
“I have students who get involved in the renewable energy alumni group Oliver and I have voluntarily started. We organize meetups in Chicago, and we’ve already organized meetups back at ISU and presented to current students,” said Wolber. “I encourage any of the readers to get involved in that group. We’re an alumni group trying to connect and meet with other alumni, and the alumni help current students get great job opportunities as well.”
For Aldeman, it’s students like Keene, Ellen, and Wolber who embody the mission of Illinois State’s sustainable and renewable energy program: instilling skills in passionate students to help save the world.
