“Have you ever wondered which of the earth’s renewable resources had the potential to be the world’s largest and most sustainable energy source? Or, perhaps which country had the strongest influence on the price of oil?” asked president of the Kennesaw State Association of Energy Engineers Carnell Tate.
At an event called “A Beginner’s Guide to Being a Sustainability Rockstar” last Tuesday night on the Marietta campus, questions like these sparked interest among freshmen. Discussions were initiated on how sustainability could be achieved within the energy sector to deal with climate change.
KSU’s AEE is an interdisciplinary club that attracts students primarily from mechanical, civil, electrical and computer engineering as well as architecture and construction management majors.
Tate first became fascinated with the group when he realized there was an opportunity to tackle the existing detrimental energy issues under the umbrella of sustainability.
The perks of being an AEE member include networking with professionals in the energy industry, learning about green energy and gaining access to scholarships reserved for members only.
Earlier this year, members led a tour of the Mercedes-Benz stadium, which is certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design as a green building. The tour focused on learning about the rainwater harvesting system, recycling system and continued sustainability efforts.
This tour won the club the 2019 “Best Student Chapter Meeting” award.
AEE corporate also awarded the 2019 “Best Overall Student Chapter” to marketing officer senior Addie Thornton. Thornton’s journey with AEE began in 2016 when she played an instrumental role in reviving the club.
Her internships over the last four years as a civil engineer at Atwell, LLC awarded her the opportunity to design large-scale wind farms in the United States. Inspirational stories like these are what the club aims to achieve with each member.
Currently, KSU is partnering with various German companies and universities to help bridge pathways for students abroad and at local U.S. subsidiaries. Some of the more prominent companies are Siemens, Vinci Energies, Flux/Renner and Sonnen GmbH. These companies are at the forefront of sustainable technology.
AEE vice president Austin Brown strongly encourages freshmen and sophomores to take notice of the different opportunities KSU and AEE can offer, as students can greatly benefit from the solid network.
AEE is actively involved in organizing eminent speakers and tours, such as the upcoming LEED Double Platinum certified tour of the National Cash Register Global Headquarters in Atlanta this month under the guidance of assistant professor Jacqueline Stephens.
This academic year, the club plans to continue to expand at a phenomenal rate and hopes to win many more prestigious national awards.
Overall, the AEE exists to make certain KSU students are not ignorant to environmental issues.
“We cannot reverse the damage done to the earth by climate change but we can take measures to decelerate it by first raising awareness,” junior construction management major and AEE secretary Jane Pickett said.
To learn more about AEE, visit their page on Owl Life.
