Splash Biography

PIERCE NGUYEN, Yale freshman with a passion for sustainability

Major: Mechanical Engineering

College/Employer: Yale

Year of Graduation: 2029

Brief Biographical Sketch:

Hi! My name is Pierce. I am a freshman at Yale planning to study Mechanical Engineering with a certificate in Energy Studies. Raised in San Francisco, California, I was taught to be environmentally conscious from a young age. This has fueled my passion for sustainability, and I hope to share this passion with others wherever I go. I strongly believe that, with enough collective action, we can make the world a better place.

Past Classes

(Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

E5294: Growing from Garbage: An Introduction to Composting and Other Organic Waste Management Strategies in Sprout Fall 2025 (Nov. 15 - 16, 2025)

Each year, millions of tons of organic waste like food, paper, and yard trimmings end up in our nation's landfills. Inside these landfills this organic waste decomposes anaerobically and release large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that exacerbates global warming, into the atmosphere. The nutrients from this waste, that would normally return to the earth and support the earth's food chains, are also trapped in these landfills and taken out of the natural chemical cycle. So what can we do to solve this issue? In this elective course, we will learn more about the current state of the U.S.'s organic waste management strategies, the solutions, both small and large scale, that are currently being implemented to manage our waste more sustainably, and how we as individuals can contribute to sustainable organic waste management practices in the New Haven community. Join us to learn how we can Grow from our Garbage!