Student Profile

Name: Matthew Brugman

Age: 23

Major/minor: Architectural Engineering

Year in program: Graduated

Where are you from(hometown): Houston, TX

First Concert You EVER went to: Dan Ar Braz

Hobbies: Reading, paintball, cooking

Why you're a part of UTSolarD: I believe that solar and alternative energy systems are the key to creating a more sustainable and environmentally-responsible future.

What do you bring to the team: Engineering education and occasional food making :)

Your role on this team? I've worked on design, engineering, marketing, and construction. Whew!

What do you want to gain during this experience: Lots of good experiences working with a real project, not just an intellectual exercise in the classroom. I also hope to make a few friends along the way!

What is the most important part of this project to you: For me, the opportunity to prove to the general public that solar homes are a reality today and in the near future is the most important part of this work. In that regard, I think that the marketable prototype work is the most critical
aspect of the Solar Decathlon when it comes to making real changes in the United States and abroad. Of course, playing with the high-end appliances in
the competition house is going to be great, too!

Tell me your favorite solar d story so far: I have to pick one? After working on this project for one and half years now, there are so many little stories that have come together into a really amazing narrative. There have been some late nights, crazy moments, and plain silliness. I do remember the night when we were all meeting in the Materials Library, going over some work, when Rohit Eustace told me to not to lose hope. I quickly blurted out 'hope is for the unprepared'. That little bit of pessimism mixed with the hard reality of our project has been an occasional joke with the more senior members of the UT SolarD team. ('God bless oil!' was another good slip of the tongue, too)