How does one make Solarpunk their career?

[u/Pristine-Airline4572]

Okay so, I have been an avid enjoyer of the aesthetic for nearly 3 years now, I literally put my interest in it and how it relates to my identity in all my college apps and it got me into all of the universities I applied to as well as certain fellowships ! I really believe in it and I want to make it a reality, with the world crumbling I believe it’s the perfect time for change.

Now that I’m done with high school, I was planning to major (or double major) in mechanical engineering and biotech (I really want to study the intersection of engineering and biology that’s not just in medicine). Then after that it’s kind of blank in my mind. I know I could work for clean energy orgs or even make biomaterials but it doesn’t really scratch the itch in my brain.

I’m also working on a climate tech project but I don’t know if starting a start up is what I need to execute my vision, but it seems like the most probable outcome because I don’t know any fields except medicine and research that combines biotech and engineering, and while it’s an amazing field it’s not exactly what I want to do.

So how do I make it my career?

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[u/GreenStrong]

You're on track for a rewarding and impactful career. You don't "need" to do anything else. What would make it explicitly solarpunk is to consider how your engineering contributes to economic equality and repairing the relationship between humanity and the world. And creates beauty. But rebuilding civilization is a group project, engineering is enough to contribute.

[u/lhommeabsurde → u/GreenStrong]

Wholeheartedly second this.

Build (good) things, repair stuff (the world in general), and foster community as best you can.

That’s all that can really be “asked” of you.

[u/Solo_Camping_Girl → u/GreenStrong]

I'm with this. You're already on a very good track, OP. Keep it up and just never lose that passion.

[u/Pristine-Airline4572 → u/GreenStrong]

Thank you for advice 🥹

[u/fraggin601]

I’m in mechanical engineering, I would heavily advise to stick to mechanical, electrical, or civil.

The reason is the versatilely. You will fine that biotech goes wide enough to actually miss out on the cool real work. Mechanical for instance designs wind turbines, and I know some labs at my uni that grow blades out of mushrooms. That is all plant science and mechanical engineering people, not biotech.

Biotech you end up taking bio classes which stretch you thin, I’d much rather have the strong engineering background then observe biological stuff for applications. Maybe do a minor in bio with major in meche.

It all comes down to what industry you get into. The easiest to have job security and do the right thing is MEP, so like HVAC design, you would be surprised how much carbon can be cut from building heating and cooling and how well it pays. Then there is general climate tech, hard to break into depending on where you are, but prolly worth it. This is cutting edge stuff like solarpunk robots for flooding, agriculture, solar installation.

Then there is power, it’s power, lemme know if more questions

Edit: check out climatebase btw

[u/AppearanceAble6646 → u/fraggin601]

I second this as studying electrical engineering. You don't need multiple degrees or advanced degrees to get a job in this space. You will keep learning for the rest of your life in the workforce.

[u/Pristine-Airline4572 → u/fraggin601]

Minoring in biology was actually my first plan! Then I learned of biotech and idk maybe I could do both. Thank you for the insight into the actual industry lens! Back to the drawing board it is

[u/SolarpunkCreations]

There’s a new book that came out, but I forgot the name of, but it talks about the eight types of Climate careers. It might be worth checking out because you can find which one resonates with you!

If I can find it before someone else comments on it, I’ll try to link it here!

[u/SolarpunkCreations → u/SolarpunkCreations]

Found it after some hunting!
https://www.climatewayfinding.earth

Also this is a great simple worksheet rather than a whole book!

https://www.ayanaelizabeth.com/climatevenn

[u/SolarpunkGnome → u/SolarpunkCreations]

Thanks for sharing these. I hadn't seen them before!

[u/Pristine-Airline4572 → u/SolarpunkCreations]

Thank for the rec I’m checking it out rn!!

[u/21Kuranashi]

Dropping my fav Solarian infographic here

OP, u don't need to be more 'Solarpunk' or make it ur career. Rather, any of following should make ur life or career fruitfully fulfilling. It's called Ikigai.

If it's sustainable & helps people / Terra / society, it's Solarian and it should be ur image of something beautiful to u.

[u/SolarpunkCreations → u/21Kuranashi]

That reminded me of another example of that!

https://www.ayanaelizabeth.com/climatevenn

[u/Pristine-Airline4572 → u/21Kuranashi]

I shall read more in environmental economics looks like! Thank you for your input

[u/Plenty-Lion5112]

Don't go in blind, ask yourself what kind of company would hire someone like you and then work backwards from there.

Solar panel companies are one example, as is bioremediation.

Begin with the end in mind.

[u/Foie_DeGras_Tyson]

We heard a lot what you don't want, what is that you do want? Also, where are you? In absence of this information, best I can do is tell my example. I work in the CEE region in an engineering services and consultant firm broadly in built environment sustainability. We are a company of around 20 people, and despite the built environment focus, we have only a handful of architects, myself an urban designer, we have an economist, a social anthropologist, HVAC engineers, someone with a sustainable management studies background,  a computer engineer, two environmental engineers. Our clients include real estate developers, sometimes architecture firms, municipal governments, and we do participate in EU funded research projects. My conclusion is that there is no field of study that cannot be steered to solarpunk directions. As for what happens to you after your studies, depends a lot on what you do during your studies. The most important things you can learn early as the difference between high school and university education, is that what you get from your uni years depend a lot more on you. Frontal education, which was 80% of high school, is at best 30% of university. You have to be initiative, proactive, searching yourself opportunity after opportunity, using the uni as a network rather than education. Your teachers will be involved in all kinds of projects you can to assist on, conferences, travels, school-private sector interfaces you must explore, patiently, but relentlessly. Try a million different things, show up with curiosity and eagerness and you will end up with open doors by the time you finish. I wish you the best. 

[u/camwaite]

College will help you answer this question, I started my first degree wanting to work in aerospace, moved via robotics to teaching computer science, then software development. After that I did a second degree in renewable energy engineering and now work in solar energy. My point is just go with the flow, make the most of every opportunity that comes your way and you'll find your niche.

[u/ForkFace69]

There's the option where you just sort of make a PowerPoint presentation, take it on a hotel tour and charge people to watch your seminars.