In this installment of our special series, #SDLivingTheDream, we hear from a self-described jack of all trades who evolved into a true leader with the help of experiences in the Solar Decathlon.

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Name:  Kyle Macht

Years participated in Solar Decathlon:

2007: core team member

2009: team leader

2011: rules inspector

University team:  Penn State

Current organization / employer:   Macht Architecture

Current role:  Principal

By Ruby Theresa Nahan

Now that Solar Decathlon 2017 has officially come to a close, and the 11 innovative houses have moved from the competition site at the 61st and Peña Station in Denver to their next destination, I think it’s a perfect time to reflect on the impact the Solar Decathlon might have on the future. Most students who have participated in Solar Decathlon since 2002 might not be familiar with the 1985 film to which my title alludes, but all are very familiar with, quite literally, holding the future in their own hands. Even if they don’t realize it yet.

By Alexis Powers

It’s no surprise that many of the top-notch students who have participated in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon go on to have successful careers in architecture and engineering. Some become collegiate professors, software engineers, analysts, energy consultants, and much more. We even have a newly elected official among our ranks—Chris Kennedy of the University of Colorado Boulder 2002’s first-place team—who won Colorado’s 23rd District State House race last month.

Ryan Abendroth is the founder, principle, and practitioner of Passive Energy Designs in St. Louis, Missouri—a company that consults on high-performing, low-energy buildings. To date, he has consulted on more than 100 buildings to help others design and achieve ultra-efficient houses that are aesthetically pleasing and functionally livable. He credits this career to his participation in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2009, an event that he calls "transformative" to his life.

Matthew O’Kelly lives the benefits of his U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon experience.

O’Kelly participated twice in the Solar Decathlon—first as the HVAC engineer for The Ohio State University (OSU) 2009 team and then as the project engineer for the OSU 2011 team. Since then, O’Kelly has not only established a successful design career but also been instrumental in developing a patent-pending technology that began with the OSU 2011 competition house.

The Solar Decathlon Alumni Association is seeking former decathletes from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon as part of a fall membership drive. The goal is to sign up 1,500 Solar Decathlon alumni by Dec. 31, 2011. Student and faculty alumni of Solar Decathlon 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2011 are eligible for membership.

Virginia Tech’s U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2009 entry, Lumenhaus, traveled to New York’s Times Square this week, where it wowed passersby and wooed audiences on ABC's “Good Morning America.”

Watch a video clip of “Good Morning America” weather anchor Sam Champion interviewing Virginia Tech team member Chip Clark, or see additional photos of Lumenhaus in Times Square on Flickr.

The next stop on the house’s tour will be Madrid, Spain, to compete in Solar Decathlon Europe this June.