Managers know their processes well, but they don't generally have the time to focus on one aspect such as energy or waste. The Center's professional staff includes Mark Armstrong, P.E., a graduate of Maine Maritime Academy with 12 years of experience in industrial process control, and Curt Bartram, P.E., a state employee who works with the Department of Economic and Community Development's energy audit program. Jill Schoof, associate professor of electrical engineering technology, is assistant director. We train the students to use test equipment and evaluate areas where savings are usually found. One of the most important products of the IAC is our graduates.
Students leave here with an impressive portfolio of experiences with industry.
One graduate got a job in a paper mill based on savings he identified during a quick tour of the plant during his interview. I called the manager to give the student support, and the manager said it wasn't necessary. The IAC's nerve center is located in a second floor room in East Annex. It features shelves of industrial process manuals, file cabinets filled with audit records and a blackboard used to track projects. Students mix attendance in classes with calls to businesses or calculations of potential savings.