Germán Sánchez and Ana Loma, both students at UPM’s Campus Sur, participated in the first edition of the “Build Your Own Energy Meter with Arduino!” workshop hosted by the UPM team. As active members of our Energy Community and friends, they shared their insights on the workshops with the AURORA team.
Why did you decide to take part of the initiative?
GS: I am very interested in the field of renewable energies, in fact, I would like to install solar panels in my house, which is why I joined the Community. Specifically, I see the idea of the workshop as a very good initiative to reconnect with some knowledge that I had forgotten.
AL: When I saw the opportunity that the Energy Community offered to build energy sensors with Arduino, I quickly signed up because I saw it as a great opportunity to link it with my Telecommunications discipline.
What do you think of the proposal presented with these workshops?
GS: Innovative. I like the idea that we are all motivated here because participation is voluntary, so everything feels more personal. The format allows you to meet more people and establish new relationships.
AL: Workshops are a format in which you can learn like in a master class without the pressure of being evaluated, submitting assignments, having to sit through slides that you don’t understand, and not knowing what the explanations are for. Also, here we have people from different degrees and courses, which is a differentiating element compared to what we are used to in university.
What do you expect from the workshop?
GS: To learn more about energy to take concrete actions in my environment.
AL: I would like to broaden the boundaries of my own knowledge and not be so closed to preconceived ideas about myself. We don’t have this specific training in our degree, so expanding knowledge with topics that are not on the curriculum is always a plus, especially before entering the job market, as is my case.
