Hi there!! My name is Martin, and I'm from a small town in Maine called Veazie. I'm thrilled to be a '27 blogger for People Places Pines! Carving the slopes in the winter, hiking through woods in autumn, or basking in the Green in spring and summer, that's where you'll find me! Stay tuned for everything Big Green!
The Irving Institute's First-Year Fellows Program: Fall Term
At the beginning of this fall, I received an email from the Irving Institute—one of Dartmouth's newest facilities dedicated to sustainable energy research at the College—inviting me to apply to their "First-Year Fellows Program," a new program (only available to first years) designed to help students get involved with sustainable energy at Dartmouth. Out of interest, I applied and was accepted into the program!
Over the past term, I've been learning about the future of sustainable energy in the world (and at Dartmouth) through weekly meetings, research panels, presentations, and more! Best of all, I had access to numerous discussions and talks from leaders in the sustainable energy field that I could attend through the program. Here are some of my favorite activities and talks I attended this term:
"Reframing the Debate on Africa's Energy Future," by Dr. Rose Mutiso: Dr. Mutiso (recent recipient of the 2023 McGuire Prize for Social Impact) gave new perspectives on how we can approach energy poverty and climate sustainability in developing countries, specifically in Africa. She also spoke about her time as an undergraduate engineering student at the School of Engineering!
"Radical Energy Efficiency, Integrative Design, and Applied Hope," by Dr. Amory Lovins: Founder of the Rocky Mountain Institute, Dr. Lovins spoke about energy efficiency and green design in modern architecture. He spoke about modern engineering and how we can make it more sustainable.
Climate and Energy Week Poster Session and Competition: I was invited to see some of the latest projects both undergraduate and graduate students at the Irving Institute have been working on recently!
Revers Center for Energy, Sustainability, and Innovation Alumni Career Panel: I attended a career panel hosted by some experts in the field of energy sustainability, and had the chance to learn and ask questions about potential careers in that area.
"The Oil Machine" Film Screening and Discussion: I had the opportunity to watch a screening of a new film called The Oil Machine and then attend a Q&A between one of Dartmouth's professors and a producer of the film!
Final First-Year Fellows Discussion: As the final meeting of the program this term, every Irving First-Year Fellow gathered and discussed our favorite events from this term. It was great to hear from others about the events or talks I couldn't make it to!
Those are a few opportunities I've had in my first term as a First-Year Fellow at the Irving Institute. Hopefully, this gives you a look into what one of the "First-Year Fellows" programs at Dartmouth might be like, in case you decide to apply to one someday! Next term, we'll be designing and conducting research/networking projects in the sustainable energy sector as the next step in the program. I'll post more updates about the program and my project this winter!
My final week in Saigon was nothing short of adventure. Bittersweet, but still jam-packed with activities, come with me as I conclude my time in Vietnam
Welcome back to Open Doors—your inside look at life in the Woods! This week, Gabe Brigham '26, a psychology and sociology double major, showed me around his dorm room, where we discussed Dartmouth residence halls, classes, and campus life.
On the final segment of The Stretch, we explored other planets, walked atop volcanoes, and went to the very bottom of the Grand Canyon (and back). Read about it here.
