Dr. David R. Riley is a faculty member in the Department of Architectural Engineering at Penn State. His fields of expertise include Sustainable Building Methods, Affordable and Sustainable Housing, Renewable Energy, Smart Grid Systems, Engineering Education, and Education for Sustainability. Dr. Riley currently leads multiple energy education and workforce programs in energy launched through funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. Dr. Riley led Penn State’s Center for Sustainability from 2004 through 2013, and now serves as a Scholar in Residence for the Sustainability Institute at Penn State.
Notable activities include the creation of the American Indian Housing Initiative (AIHI), National Energy Leadership Corps (NELC), and Renewable Energy in Central America (RECA) programs at Penn State. Each effort engages students in immersive learning and research experiences and the creation of sustainable solutions for diverse communities. As the Director of the Center for Sustainability, Dr. Riley led the development of the Minor in Sustainability Leadership at Penn State. He also helped develop the Professional Master’s program Renewable Energy and Sustainability Systems offered through the World Campus, and led the design and establishment of three new course in this program focused on solar photovoltaic systems engineering and distributed energy generation. Dr. Riley also led Penn State’s entry in the 2007 DOE Solar Decathlon leading to the creation the MorningStar Solar Home, which now serves teaching and learning laboratory on Penn State’s University Park Campus. He has also led multiple university-industry partnership efforts, including the Partnership for Achieving Construction Excellence at Penn State and the GridSTAR Education and Research Collaborative. He was recognized as the 2013 Industry Partner of the Year by the National Electrical Contracting Association.