51视频

08/21/2023
By Brooke Coupal

As a native of England and a former graduate student at Rutgers University, Dillan Patel had until recently never stepped foot in Lowell. Now, he feels like he's part of the community.

Through the Environmental Defense Fund鈥檚 (EDF) , Patel has spent the summer with 51视频鈥檚 Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy to help create a community outreach plan for the geothermal pilot project on South Campus.

鈥淭his was not an opportunity that I wanted to pass up,鈥� says Patel, who chose to complete his fellowship at UML over companies like Google and AT&T because it offered him the opportunity to interact with several city organizations.

Patel is the first EDF fellow to come to UML.

Earlier this year, 51视频 partnered with the city of Lowell and National Grid聽to evaluate the potential use of geothermal energy to heat and cool nearby residential and commercial buildings. The university was the first site selected for the utilities company鈥檚 five-year geothermal pilot project.

Patel met with members of Coalition for a Better Acre, Solidarity Lowell and other local groups to find the best ways to raise awareness about geothermal energy and make sure that community voices are incorporated into the pilot project.

鈥淚nforming is the first step,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e also need to listen to people and understand their needs.鈥�

Patel also spoke with UML faculty members, including Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Science Prof. Juliette Rooney-Varga and Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Asst. Prof. Jasmina Burek, to learn about their sustainability research projects.

鈥淏etween discussions with community organizations, the research that is being done by UML faculty and the efforts of City Energy Manager Katherine Moses 鈥�12 and energy advocates, triangulating all of those with the geothermal project can really help maximize energy efficiency adoption,鈥� he says.

Image by Brooke Coupal

Patel came up with a more than 70-page report聽along with a on how to get the community engaged with the pilot project. One of his suggestions is to host workshops at places like the Lowell Senior Center and Pollard Memorial Library, where people can learn more about the project and give their input.

Noticing murals painted on buildings throughout the city and on UML鈥檚 campus, Patel also suggested having a mural painted on the geothermal pump house once it鈥檚 built in the corner of the Wilder Parking Lot on South Campus. He says this would help create community awareness of the project.

鈥淚鈥檓 only here for the summer, but wherever I go, I hope to continue supporting this project,鈥� says Patel, who is looking for a full-time job in environmental or energy planning in the United States.

鈥淭his fellowship has given me a lot of knowledge and hands-on experience,鈥� he adds. 鈥淭he support that I鈥檝e gotten from the Rist Institute was immeasurable.鈥�

Patel鈥檚 report has been passed on to the Rist Institute for review.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a pleasure having Dillan working with us this summer because of his passion for clean, renewable energy and his commitment to maximizing the positive benefits of the networked geothermal project for Lowell鈥檚 residents, our community partners and UML鈥檚 research, teaching and learning,鈥� says Sustainability Director Craig Thomas.

Rist Institute Executive Director Ruairi O'Mahony says he is excited to work with more fellows in the future.

鈥淒illan鈥檚 fellowship is incredibly important to us, as it comes on the back of a multiyear collaboration with the Environmental Defense Fund,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e look forward to continued collaboration with EDF, along with establishing 51视频 as an annual destination for the fellowship program.鈥�