Women's Program Alumni
" Being taught by women in the field inspires confidence in women
trying to break into a male dominated field."
- participant, Women's PV 2000
Yvonne
Webb
Senior
Energy Specialist, City of San Fransisco's Dept. on the Environment
Yvonne
is a graduate of our 2002 Women's PV workshop. She is a Senior Energy
Specialist for the City of San Francisco's Department on the Environment
(SFE) where she is the Project Manager for a community solar project,
Alternative Community Energy (ACE), funded by
the SFE's Environmental Justice Program.
The ACE program will reduce the reliance of fossil fuels by installing solar water heaters and PV systems, and educating and training residents in solar design and installation, in the Bayview Hunter's Point community.
"Womyn are such a small minority in the union electrical trade, our learning needs are not often met. Other than (the SEI workshop), most electrical courses are so heavily laden with men only, teaching, in class, and on the jobsite, that it is wonderful to be in a womon only environment learning electrical theory and practice."
- Leigh Hessel, Women's PV 2003
Lindsay
Joye, P.E.
PV
Marketing Engineer, City of Palo Alto Utilities
Lindsay
is the PV manager for the City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU), and an alumni
of the Women's PV workshop. She coordinated the Palo Alto Solar Homes
Tour in 2002, where over 400 people visited 20 homes showcasing PV, solar
thermal, and electric vehicles. She also assisted the Palo Alto school
district to apply for a grant for a 20 kW PV system at an elementary school,
and found time to help install a 1 kilowatt system at the Ohlone Elementary
school
In November, 2002 Lindsay accepted the Solar Electric Power Assocation award for Solar Business Achievement recognizing CPAU's efforts to facilitate 52 PV installations which now exceed 1/10 of 1% of the city's peak electrical demand.
"The women's solar class was the best class I have ever taken. I've
had engineering classes on solar and have worked to promote solar energy
for over 5 years, but the SEI women's class was my first class with lots
of hands-on training. The highlight was learning from both teachers and
experienced classmates in using all of the tools. I used my experience
the very next week to help install a PV system at my children's school!"
"The
pace, energy and care brought to this course by our women instructors
was superb! . . . Women realized as a group that we are very capable in
a technical world."
-
participant, Women's PV 2002
Mia
Devine
Innovative
Power Designs
After the Women's Carpentry workshop, Mia built a coffee table, bookshelf, a 5’x8’ display stand for work, a bed frame, and made numerous repairs around the house. She also attended the Women's Wind workshop, and is now considered one of the “wind experts” at her company (Innovative Power Designs) and gets sent out on any wind site visits or installations. She has climbed a 100 foot wind tower, done on-the-ground maintenance on a 20 kW machine, and has installed three tilt-up turbines.
“Due
to the jump-start that the women’s SEI workshops gave me, I now
am equipped with a toolbox full of two sets of tools: physical tools
(wrench, screwdriver, drill) and mental tools (confidence, strength,
and knowledge).”
"I work as a technician. There are really not as many women as
should be in technical fields so I found it refreshing and much more
comfortable to be involved in a workshop that was women only."
- participant, Women's PV 2000
Jane
Koger
Homestead
Ranch
After attending the Women's PV workshop in 2000, Jane had an all-women’s crew from SEI, including participants from the workshop, install a 2-kW PV system on her organic cattle ranch in Kansas. Then she built a straw-bale house, using power from the PV system and straw that she grew and baled herself.
In 2001, Jane hosted the Wind Power workshop on her land, and the participants installed a 1-kW wind machine for Jane’s ranch. Jane's house has a composting toilet, a greywater system, rainwater collection, and 16 solar hot water panles which provide radiant floor heating.
"The energy that was surrounding the workshop felt very nurturing
and it made me feel like I was a part of something very empowering for
women."
- participant, Women's PV
Susan
and Satya Kuner
Helioline
Susan
and Satya are a mother-daughter team who attended the Women's PV Workshop
in 2001. They have since started a solar business called Helioline in
San Francisco. Helione provides business and educational resources for
the photovoltaic industry. They educate homeowners so they feel comfortable
using and advocating solar power, and help solar businesses by handling
their sales, marketing, and educational needs. Susan and Satya are also
writing a book about their experiences living off the grid.
The workshops are intended to provide women with a supportive learning atmosphere. Many women have little or no hands-on electrical experience, and may be wary of attending a coed course with men who have grown up using power tools. Even women with hands-on experience already working in technical fields find it helpful and rewarding networking with other women interested in and/or working in renewable energy.
Register through our on-line secure server with Acteva (includes small transaction fee) or register off-line
