Solar Decathlon
Designed, installed, and ran the electrical system for the University of Maryland's entry. Tied for first in solar energy production.
The Solar Decathlon is a Department of Energy competition: university teams design, build, and operate a fully functional solar-powered house, then truck it to the National Mall and compete on everything from energy production to how well it hosts a dinner party.
I was responsible for the design, installation, operation, and monitoring of our 800 square foot house's electrical system. We didn't win overall but placed well across the categories, including a tie for first in solar energy production. My first time being handed a hard, real system with no manual and told to make it work, which turned out to be the thing I'd keep looking for.
