Pivoting From Biology to Sustainable Design With an MS in Sustainable Building Systems
Dane Brimmeier, MS’ 24, sustainable building systems, switched his career path from biology to sustainable design through academics, involvement in a professional student club, and co-op which led to a contracted full-time position.
Dane Brimmeier, MS’ 24, sustainable building systems, didn’t come from an engineering background, but Northeastern’s rigorous academics, mentorship, and collaboration provided him with the skills he needed to succeed.
With a bachelor’s degree in biology, Brimmeier was unsure of his standing in the program. But his interest in sustainable design and a drive to challenge himself propelled him to “take a leap of faith” and move to Boston from Pittsburgh for the program.
Northeastern University Sustainable Building Organization student club
Having never been to Boston, Brimmeier came to Northeastern with no idea of what to expect. Looking for community, he joined NUSBO—Northeastern University Sustainable Building Organization—a student club affiliated with the Massachusetts Chapter of the U.S. Green Business Council (USGBC). He instantly clicked with the other members, “most of us are in the same program, so we would bounce ideas off each other and give advice on life and coursework,” Brimmeier says. “I felt really comfortable with everyone, and the community helped me to adapt to a new city and school.”
Along with member meetings, the club hosted a weekly speaker series with professionals in sustainable design, consulting, and related fields. He says the speakers were beneficial in learning what to expect in a professional career. The speakers also gave Brimmeier the opportunity to make connections with professionals in his field of interest.
NUSBO students with Chris Schaffner, ECE part-time faculty, at the BE+ Green Building Showcase in October 2024
For his second year in the club, Brimmeier became the external outreach coordinator. He says he wanted to bridge the gap for people who didn’t know anyone and make it easier for them to find community and succeed in the sustainable building systems program. As part of the position, Brimmeier was also responsible for reaching out to potential presenters for their speaker series. The role was a great opportunity to make connections in the industry that also provided Brimmeier and other students with mentorship.
Experiential learning with industry-aligned faculty
Brimmeier says his success in the field has been possible because of the supportive faculty, co-op experience, and the community within the program. David Fannon, associate professor in the School of Architecture and civil and environmental engineering, and Chris Schaffner, part-time faculty, especially influenced Brimmeier’s experience in the program. “They are both widely regarded in the industry, and they’re two of the smartest people I have gotten the privilege to learn from,” Brimmeier says. “The content was so compelling that it made the information easy to understand and apply. And the small classroom size, about 20 students, made it easy to ask questions.” Over the course of the program, Fannon and Schaffner became mentors for Brimmeier. Since graduation, he still asks them for career advice and for their expertise on projects.
Brimmeier found that the hands-on and collaborative structure of classes gave him insight into real-world applications of the curriculum. For the course Life Cycle Assessment, taught by Matthew Eckelman, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, students worked with real-world companies to perform life cycle assessments on companies’ products or manufacturing processes to assess their environmental impacts.
Brimmeier says that working directly with companies, “taught me how to collaborate and work around real setbacks I could experience in my career. Creating connections within the industry was built into the curriculum.”
Group work and collaboration were also built into the courses. Brimmeier valued the opportunity to learn how other students who have different expertise approach solving a problem. Brimmeier attributes his academic success to learning not just from the curriculum but also from his classmates.
Professional experience on co-op
His co-op advisor, Nora Salmon, helped Brimmeier get a co-op at the Boston Planning Department as a sustainable development intern.
“Nora really helped me find a fulfilling and enjoyable co-op for me. My experience at the Boston Planning Department really solidified my career ambitions and my interest in sustainable design within the urban environment,” Brimmeier says.
As a sustainable development intern, Brimmeier led an analysis of performance data from 94 projects to identify the best practices to contribute to the annual sustainability report. He also managed a portfolio of Net-Zero Carbon projects. He offered feedback on Green Building and Net-Zero Carbon initiatives, including LEED certification, low-carbon technologies, and renewable energy strategies. The experience jumpstarted his career, and Brimmeier was contracted as a full-time sustainable design reviewer for the Planning Department upon graduating in December 2024.
“Northeastern really provides an environment that is focused on your success and gives you the space to explore your curiosities. Without Northeastern, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to fully explore my interests, and it has made what I thought were impossible dreams real opportunities,” says Brimmeier.