Matt Pasquali
Dickinson College '18
ORISE Researcher at US EPA
Arlington County Solid Waste Bureau
July 2018 - July 2020
My experience with the Arlington County Solid Waste Bureau taught me effective time management, collaboration skills, and how to manage multiple projects at once. I managed the Multi-Family and Commercial (MF/C) Recycling and Commercial Truck Permit programs. Through the use of advanced Excel skills such as VLOOKUP and Conditional Formatting, I managed and analyzed over 4,000 MF/C accounts and 50 commercial waste hauler accounts. I created a dashboard to analyze the data collected through the MF/C program by using Microsoft’s PowerBI data visualization software. I presented this dashboard in monthly team meetings with the Bureau Chief. For both programs, I facilitated the annual billing of the 4,000+ businesses in Arlington and 50+ commercial waste haulers that operated within the County.
I assisted with the daily residential curbside collection services by managing customer requests and complaints, and by collaborating with the third-party waste hauler. I also researched best practices for Zero Waste plans and facilities that accept hard to recycle materials (CHaRM facilities), wrote a report for the Bureau’s waste audit of 29 businesses, and conducted 25-30 recycling system inspections weekly at local businesses.
Center for Sustainability Education
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For three semesters, I served as one of Dickinson College’s Waste Minimization Interns through the college’s Center for Sustainability Education. In this role, I conducted research and analyzed data to improve waste reduction across campus, including e-waste, solid waste, food waste, and recycling. I educated students and faculty on waste reduction efforts taken upon by the college. Through this research and outreach, I innovated new solutions to reduce campus waste. I conducted sustainability audits on student housing and academic buildings, collaborating with members of the building and recommending solutions to become more sustainable. Throughout my tenure at this position, the college observed a reduction in campus waste by 60 tons.
Cleantech Connect Project
December 2016 - May 2018
February 2018 - April 2018
Inspire, a cleantech energy startup headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, created the Cleantech Connect Project focused on connecting young leaders with professionals the company. I participated in a six-week long professional development program under mentorship guidance. I met with my mentor via Google Hangouts each week. I researched the future outlook of electric vehicles, while also observing how they could impact Inspire's business model. This experience provided me with a valuable mentor, connection to the clean energy industry, and further developed my research skills.
NYSERDA
June 2017 - August 2017
At the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, I worked with the Single Family Residential Team. I completed industry research to identify best practices for contractor selection within low-income energy efficiency programs. I performed outreach to 10 home energy efficiency programs nationwide, learning best practices within the industry. By using Microsoft Excel Pivot Tables, I collected and analyzed data from New York State’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program and EmPower New York. In collaboration with the Single Family Residential Team, I planned and developed a pilot program for future implementation. In conclusion of this internship, I presented my findings and recommendations to the team.
June 2016 - August 2016
NYSDEC
At the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, I worked with the Division of Materials Management. Here, I researched and located over 450 landfills across New York State. I converted UTM coordinates to latitude and longitude to accurately locate landfills on an online mapping program. I also conducted research on materials used in solar panels, how to properly dispose of solar panels, and regulations one must adhere to when constructing a solar array in New York State.