March Speaker in Residence Rodney Wiltshire

March Speaker in Residence Rodney Wiltshire

Wednesday, March 19 from 4:30-630 in Nason 130

Rodney Wiltshire was raised in Troy and learned the value of hard work from his parents and grandparents. After graduating from Troy High School, he earned an engineering degree from Cornell University, and now owns and operates the Empire Solar Store on Brunswick Road. Through Empire Solar, Rodney has created local, green jobs and donated services to various local organizations. Rodney and his wife, Jolene, are raising their two boys just down the road from their store.

Rodney is the Troy City Council president and an adjunct professor at HVCC, where he teaches photovoltaics, and at Skidmore College, where he teaches environmental studies. He is currently working on a book on solar power for the new green economy. Prior to starting his own business, Rodney was a software and systems engineer, helping businesses and governments use technology to improve customer service, increase safety, and enhance efficiency.

City council president Rodney Wilthsire will begin by talking about the innovative, city-wide projects he is pursuing, including a municipal solar farm, electric car charging stations, and the Climate Smart Communities and Sustainability Task Force. His dual roles as both a small green business owner and community leader gives councilman Wiltshire a unique perspective on local solutions to global problems.

The Spring Speaker series is part of the Vasudha Living & Learning Community. An undergraduate community focused on the Earth, energy, and the environment. Spring Speakers are funded in part by the Vollmer Fries Lecture Series. For more informa- tion please visit, vasudha.rpi.edu.

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