Sasha Noble

Sasha Nobel

Smart Energy Scholar

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Sasha Noble, a Smart Energy Scholar and aspiring scientific researcher. Sasha just started at a two-year engineering program at SUNY Broome and will be transferring to Binghamton after the end of next year to pursue a four-year degree in either engineering or chemistry. Sasha has always had an affinity for STEM, and with her re-enrollment in school, she hopes to pursue her interests further through research at Binghamton. “Any kind of smart energy I find really interesting. I think it is definitely going to be the wave of the future.” 

In addition to funding, the Smart Energy Scholars Program holds weekly meetings which Sasha finds helpful, “You get to see what your other classmates are doing, what kind of research they’re in, and where they’re at in their education.” She also tells me fondly about the opportunities the scholars have to listen to keynote speakers. “We got to listen to [Stan Whittingham] speak about the history of batteries and the lithium-ion battery… so it was great having that experience and getting to find out about things like the superconductors and all the research being done at the university.” 

Though she’s still in her first semester, Sasha has already started an internship with SUNY Broome’s NYSERDA program. NYSERDA refers to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The program focuses on smart energy and Sasha is currently working on a walking tour at Broome County Community College to highlight “things like the Geothermal field that was installed as well as the solar panels that power the geothermal pumping system. The college also has a vertical windmill and a bus that runs on biodiesel. The biodiesel fuel is made right on campus as well.” 

When she isn’t studying or working with the NYSERDA program, Sasha likes to volunteer her time with the local Binghamton Fire Department. “I love being able to be there to help the members of my community in what oftentimes is the worst day of their lives. I take a lot of pride in the responsibility that comes with that. But there are also educational things that we do as well which are a lot of fun. A couple of weeks back, I got to go with the Fire Department to the local elementary school to help educate the kids on fire safety. A couple of firefighters and I put on all our gear and air packs in front of a group of kids and crawled around on the floor with them, to show them there's nothing to be afraid of if a firefighter comes to rescue you. We also had a mobile trailer set up to teach the kids about fire safety in their homes, plus they got to see the inside of one of our fire engines.”

I remember working jobs and going to school full-time and it was a lot, and the [Smart Energy] scholarship can help alleviate that so maybe you don’t have to have two jobs, maybe you can have one part time job so you have time to study and focus on school.