Earth science and policy student spends summer exploring Arctic geothermal options

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State student Declan Goldhawk knew he wanted to spend the summer expanding on what he’s learning in college while branching out into unfamiliar territory. A 10-week internship in Alaska — a place he’s never been — researching geothermal energy at the Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP) checked both boxes.

Goldhawk is a second-year student majoring in Earth science and policy in the Department of Geosciences. The Millennium Scholar is also minoring in geoscience and photography. He’s also a Scholar in the Schreyer Honors College.

At ACEP, Goldhawk is among a team looking for sustainable solutions for Alaska’s energy concerns. Under the mentorship of Magnus de Witt, a research assistant professor at ACEP, Goldhawk is assessing the feasibility of using sustainable geothermal energy to offset the costs of natural gas heating in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, home to nearly 300,000 residents according to the 2020 U.S. Census. The internship is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation through their Research Experiences for Undergraduates program.

“I’m especially interested in renewable energy technologies as they develop, and how they could be integrated into the U.S. energy grid,” Goldhawk said. “The intersection of both parts of my major and the fact that my research may be able to help with the impending Alaskan energy crisis makes this internship especially gratifying.”

Goldhawk said he is interested in Earth science, particularly its intersection with policy and political science. He’s interested in both the science and the socioeconomic impacts of onlining a new energy source to communities. His Alaska experience is building on courses he has taken in geology and Earth processes.

He's conducting research literature reviews, economic analyses and is also formulating his own scientific writing while learning new tools like ArcGIS Pro. He said diversifying his research portfolio and knowledge base is extremely useful as he explores different roads he can take when he begins his career.

He’s also finding time to travel to some unique spots, like a nine-story coal fired power plant and the lowest source temperature geothermal power plant in the world. Other stops included museums, power plants and a research lab that emulates a remote community’s electrical microgrid. And, for a geosciences-minded student, a visit to Denali National Park is a must.

The biggest highlight, he said, was a visit from his parents.

Goldhawk said at ACEP he’s surrounded by industry professionals and innovative researchers knowledgeable about every aspect of Alaskan energy.

“The culture here is collaborative and educational, which is absolutely amazing to take advantage of as an intern,” Goldhawk said.

He said the experience allowed him to see the impact science can have on people’s lives. He’s returning to Penn State with new research perspectives and a greater sense of its importance.

“I chose this internship because it took me out of my comfort zone. I am thousands of miles from home doing research I had never dabbled in before, but I know that this is how I will grow as a student, a researcher and a person,” Goldhawk said. “It’s one thing to learn about these technologies in school, but being able to see the results and talk to the communities affected by policy choices has given me a completely new understanding of what I learn about.”