YPiRE Forum

When: Thursday, April 18th, 6:30-8:00 PM

Where: Hyatt – Constellation Ballroom F – 2nd Floor

Moderator: Luke Witmer, Recipient of the John & Barbara Yellott Award 2013, completing Ph.D. in Solar Energy at Penn State

YPiRE is an exciting opportunity to grow recognition for new and emerging students and professionals, and to build stronger networks among people passionate about sustainability, energy, transdisciplinary projects, and service learning.

Panelists:

Thomas Krizner, Senior Mechanical Engineer, Enphase Energy

Thomas Krizner has a breadth and depth of mechanical engineering experience in commercial industry and research institutions. At Enphase Energy he leads the design and development team for new approaches to microinverter PCB environmental protection, focused on cost and long-term reliability. His career in advanced manufacturing also includes design and development of electromechanical systems for GE, Sauer-Danfoss, and Oregon Health and Science University.

Thomas chose to make the professional transition into the solar energy sector for its interesting challenges and the opportunity to contribute immediately to the reduction of negative environmental impact in energy production.

Thomas holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in mechanical engineering from Drexel University, Master of Arts degree in design from University of California at Berkeley and a Graduate Certificate in product development from Stanford University.

Alexander Kim, Hardware Engineer, Enphase Energy

Alexander Kim plays many roles at Enphase Energy that include EMI detection, unit failure analysis, PCB design, ASIC validation, development of next-generation microinverter technology, and contributing best practices to the SOP Committee. He has also been employed by General Motors and Crane Electronics.

Alex’s introduction to the renewable-energy industry was a bit serendipitous. While pursuing a career in power electronics, opportunities in the semiconductor, defense, automotive, and renewable-energy industries were all appealing. He chose the renewable industry since he believes in its cause and its potential for growth.

Alex holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech, where his team won the 2009 TI Analog Design Contest Engibous Prize. He also conducted research on switching loss of SiC devices for the Future Energy Electronics Center and acted as a TA for introductory electronics labs. He enjoys reading in his spare time.

Mike Seger, Project Engineer, Microgrid Solar

Mike Seger is currently a Project Engineer for fast growing St. Louis-based Microgrid Solar. Prior to joining Microgrid Solar, Mike spent five years working in the marketing and advertising industry specializing in brand awareness and digital signage. However, his passion for engineering and renewable energy prompted him to go back to school and complete a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. Mike brings a unique blend of power engineering, marketing, and project management to Microgrid Solar and has been a part of the design or installation of over 1MW of solar in the past year. In addition, he also focuses on delivering an educational component to his customers through the design of informational kiosks that help keep the public informed on the benefits of renewable energy. Mike can be reached at mseger@microgridenergy.com for follow up contact.