Name: Yash Shah

Birthplace: India

Major: Electrical Engineering

Student Classification: Senior

Name and location of company where you are on co-op: SoCore Energy in Chicago, IL

Job duties: Design solar PV layouts and interconnections. Perform production analysis. Designing the panel arrangement, circuiting and also the single line, which is essentially an electrical blueprint of the point of interconnection all the way to the solar panels. I also run calculations to make sure we optimize the wire sizing and rating of equipment and make sure our design meets the National Electric Code standards. 

Why did you want to do this co-op/What do you hope to gain from the experience? I hoped to go on a site visit and survey a site for future build (which I was very fortunate to be able to do). I also wished to gain some managerial experience along with projects to call my own as opposed to just completing fragments of a project (another thing I was happy to have gotten the chance to do).

What are your ultimate career goals? Ultimately, at least in the short run, I want to work for a renewable energy company. I genuinely believe in this source of energy and want to be a part of the transition away from fossil fuels. In a few years' time I want to transition into a more Project Managerial role within this industry.

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