RPI Interns Join Berkshire Innovation Center's SolaBlock

08:14AM / Sunday, August 07, 2022Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates Rachel Soto-Garcia and Abdullah Abid have joined clean-and-construction technology company SolaBlock, a member of the Berkshire Innovaction Center, through Rensselaer's "Invent@Rensselaer Startup Immersion" program.

"This internship gives me an opportunity to understand and appreciate the renewable energy industry in a new light. I want to help places that are still developing and help the world for a better tomorrow," Soto-Garcia said, adding her parents experienced frequent power outages from rain in their home country of Guatemala.

They will create a depository of all blueprints for the company, alongside updating the automation of SolaBlock's Solar Masonry Units (SMUs), which embeds a solar cell into a cement masonry block.

"My parents are originally from Pakistan, and I have often heard and experienced several instances of rolling blackouts due to lack of supply of electricity. SolaBlock represents a clear way to not only switch over to sustainable methods of energy but to greatly add on to any location's energy supply," Abid said.

The internships will offer Soto-Garcia and Abid hands-on experience in their field as they prepare to return to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute this upcoming fall to develop their masters' project for their M. Eng. degree in mechanical engineering.

Less than two hours from the Rensselaer campus, SolaBlock's final assembly plant will open this summer in the city.

Professor Asish Ghosh, Director of the Inventor's Studio Courses and Invent@Rensselaer Startup Immersion Program, and a Professor of Practice at Rensselaer's Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering Department, said that such programs help the entire ecosystem of universities, startups, and state & federal agencies focused on advancing the STEM-based workforce.

Eric Planey, chief executive officer of SolaBlock, noted that partnering with Rensselaer will help SolaBlock expand its operations.

"For SolaBlock, not only do we have access to such premier engineering talent like Abdullah and Rachel, but as we enter the New York State market, having the credibility of a strong relationship with RPI will accelerate that growth. RPI also has an incredible architecture school, and potential collaboration there will also help us get our product into market," Planey said in a statement.

Soto-Garcia and Abid graduated in May with their bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering.

Professor Diana Borca-Tasciuc, an expert in solar cell design and technology in Rensselaer's Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering Department, said that the collaboration with Solablock would lead to innovating, designing, and manufacturing of building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), a step in the right direction to achieve net zero buildings.

Professor Antoinette Maniatty, Acting Department Head of Mechanical Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, also the home to the Invent@Rensselaer Startup Immersion Program for the School of Engineering, noted that these internships would lead to several collaborative projects between Rensselaer, SolaBlock and sources of funding both at the state and federal levels, including the implementation of new manufacturing jobs.

Tags: BIC, RPI,

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Pittsfield Outreach Program Sees Manager

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:29AM / Monday, August 17, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The Health Department's outreach program has a manager and is seeking two outreach workers.

Earlier this month, Director of Public Health Andy Cambi updated the Board of Health on the creation of a new initiative that connects individuals on the streets with needed services.

He reported that Community Health Worker Gabrielle DiMassimo was tapped as the Community Health Program Manager a couple of weeks prior after it was posted internally. DiMassimo has been reaching out to unhoused people in encampments with the Parks Department and co-responders, and other staff this summer.

"She's been with the department for a couple years, holds a bachelor's degree in public health, and has been doing a lot of this work," Cambi said.

"Even in her college years, she was doing encampments and outreach with Worcester Public Health Department, so she really fit the bill for this position."

The position oversees Pittsfield's peer outreach initiative while advancing the long-term vision for the health department to be a more proactive, community-centered public health agency, as well as the health department's evolving responsibility to address prevention, access to services, social determinants of health, and community well-being through coordinated outreach and engagement.

Last year's controversial camping ordinance was sent to the Board of Health, and they determined it is not the best approach for Pittsfield. It was officially scrapped by the City Council earlier this year and replaced with a peer outreach program that provides harm reduction support services, navigation, and relationship-building with vulnerable residents.

The program director and outreach worker positions were approved by the City Council earlier this season. The outreach worker positions were posted internally, received applicants, and will soon go external to expand the candidate pool.

Cambi reported that the encampment group has been conducting outreach with DiMassimo. Workers speak with people at the encampments, tag the equipment, give the people an opportunity to relocate, and connect them with available resources.

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