February 22 event marks completion of Resnick Roof Solar Panel Project at SUNY New Paltz

NEW PALTZ – The School of Science and Engineering at the State University of New York at New Paltz will celebrate the completion of the Resnick Roof Solar Panel Project at an event on campus on Wednesday, Feb. 22. The public event will take place in the Resnick Engineering Hall Room, beginning at 12:15 p.m. The project to provide a solar photovoltaic array on the roof of the Resnick Engineering Hall, home of the electrical and computer engineering programs at New Paltz, was fully executed by students, faculty, Facilities Management staff, and members of the community. The system will be used to teach students in engineering and general education courses about photovoltaic systems. Engineering Professor Mike Otis and engineering alumna Courtney Lia ’09 contributed to the design of the system.

In addition to the work of faculty, staff and students in the School of Science and Engineering, volunteers from the community—including Rick Alfandre (Alfandre Architecture); Lisa Wipplinger (Savvy Structures Engineering); John Calhoun, PE; Buddy Damiani (Damiani and Sun); and Chris DiBernardo (2Ksolar)–helped with the structural engineering and the physical installation, as did Bill Cox and Ron Bartley of the Solar Energy Consortium. Kemp Anderson from Facilities Management coordinated efforts with the project team and Facilities Management.

The project was funded by a grant through the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority to The Solar Energy Consortium with assistance from State Senator John J. Bonacic. The event will also recognize the continued funding of the New Paltz’s Solar Car team by the New York State Department of Energy, with assistance from Congressman Maurice Hinchey, a SUNY New Paltz alumnus, through The Solar Energy Consortium. The College has also invited Assemblymember Kevin Cahill, also a New Paltz alumnus, and chair of the Assembly Committee on Energy.

“Both projects exemplify cooperation between SUNY New Paltz and local businesses and non-profits to provide educational opportunities for our students and to promote the growth of the solar industry in the Hudson Valley,” said Daniel Freedman, interim dean, School of Science and Engineering.

A pizza lunch will follow the event.

The School of Science and Engineering was established in 2001 to bring a science, engineering, and mathematics focus to the New Paltz campus. Faculty in chemistry, geology, physics, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, and mathematics are actively engaged in a wide range of research activities. As part of its mission to the campus and local community, the School of Science and Engineering sponsors annually a series of colloquium lectures on scientific topics of major interest and concern.