Shaun Lavin
The Sustainability Internship Program (SIP) allows students to work closely with a mentor that supporting a specific sustainability unit on campus, develop an independent project, and participate in a professional development series with the full cohort of interns. This new WholeSum series, SIP Graduates: Where are they now?, will follow up with previous SIP interns, specifically where the internship has led them and what they hope to achieve in their professional careers.
Shaun Lavin (UK Recycling 2022-2023)
How did you get into sustainability?
Sustainability has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember, and it continued to grow after I attended a sustainability event my first week on campus at UK. There, I learned about an opportunity to get involved with recycling promotions at UK home football games.
I had no intention of working during my first semester so I could focus on school and getting involved in clubs, but I could not pass up this opportunity. As I learned more about what was recyclable on campus and all of the efforts that go into supporting sustainability, I was hooked.
What jobs on UK’s campus led you deeper into a sustainability-focused career?
After the 2021 football season, there was a student worker position open on the UK Recycling team and I applied for the job. I was primarily driving trucks, picking up batteries from the hospitals, and assisting with other recycling efforts around campus. It was not glamorous work by any means, but I enjoyed knowing that I was making a difference and my passion continued to grow stronger.
Going into my sophomore year, I became a sustainability intern through UK’s Sustainability Internship Program with UK Recycling. In this role, I worked on and developed sustainability related programs. My biggest accomplishments were the Brown Paper Towel Composting program and the Residence Hall Food Waste Program.
I am an Electrical Engineering major pursuing a Power and Energy Certificate. Sustainability is one of the first aspects I look at when considering a career. Working for a company with strong sustainability goals and a strong sustainability plan is extremely important to me.
What are you doing now?
I began my engineering career working as a distribution intern for Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities (LG&E and KU) from May 2023 – January 2024 before transitioning to a Research and Development internship with their parent company, PPL.
In my role at PPL, I work with renewable energy technologies such as wind, solar, electric vehicles, and battery energy storage systems. I use my sustainability background on a daily basis in this position while working to reduce emissions.
Having a meaningful positive impact on the environment is my top priority, and wherever I end up working, I intend to use my electrical engineering degree to aid in the clean energy transition. I enjoy working on projects such as electric vehicles, battery energy storage systems, and renewable energy technologies that allow me to assist in the reduction of reliance on fossil fuels.
While integrating sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the power industry will be a challenge, it is one that I am willing to take on and conquer.
