Students Get the 411 on Energy and the Environment
Dr. Garry Noe teaches students about the future of renewable energy, part of a new push in the “green jobs” movement.
By Megan Z. Shearin | December 14, 2009
Maura Bradley ’11 
Virginia Wesleyan College’s Associate Professor of Physics Dr. Garry Noe is teaching students about the transition from fossil fuels to more sustainable energy sources.
This fall, Noe’s innovative course on Energy and the Environment, focused on topics including fossil fuels, nuclear-fueled power plants, renewable energy, pollution and energy conversion. Curriculum for the course consisted of lab demonstrations and field trips on alternative energy resources.
“I have had a particular interest in wanting to learn more about energy topics, especially with the energy ‘crisis’ today,” said Meagan Hohman ’13 from Severna Park, Md. “With rising oil prices, alternative energy resources are going to become increasingly prevalent and important.”
The topic of renewable energy, which is part of a new push in the “green jobs” movement, makes this class appealing to any student.
“The sooner we take a more sober look at our energy situation, the less pain we’ll experience in the long run.”
– Dr. Garry NoeTheatre major Kimberly Sypniewski ’10 from Virginia Beach, Va., said she’s been impacted by the course and now rides a bike to school. This may only be one small change in her behavior, said Sypniewski, “but it’s a step to decrease car pollution,” she noted.
Sypniewski said the course taught her how she affects the environment. “In order to understand our world, we need to know how it works and how we should be treating it,” she said.
In October, several of Noe’s students attended the 2009 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The project joins 20 college and university teams in a competition to design, build and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered house.
“I enjoyed seeing the reality of what we’ve talked about in class,” said John Maravich ’11 from Virginia Beach, Va. “The Decathlon showcased the latest green building technologies and how they are being integrated into home design, along with the real world implications and applications of alternative energy technologies.”
Course work for the class included research on alternative energy solutions, cost analysis of traditional energy versus alternative energy and the creation of virtual energy grids using wind and solar energy. As a local project, students modeled an energy system sustainable in Norfolk’s climate.
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