The power of community
The power of community
Wyldon Fishman – Chair 2020 – October 2023
Bio – Wyldon Fishman is an ASES Fellow, Founder and President of NYSES since 2007 delivering consumer resources on energy conservation and renewable energy, and distributing Green Energy Times. She analyzes legislation and state programs, and communicates with legislative staffs in New York City, New York State and Washington, DC. Wyldon is also a thought leader and organizer of the Solar Salon NYC series and NYSES conferences. She travels to local events and facilitates “Make A Solar Module” workshops. As a chapter leader and Fellow of ASES, she helps coordinate the yearly National Solar Tour and assists new chapters and emerging professionals. Wyldon also mentors a local organization working on food, energy and environmental justice, and is a regular contributor to local magazines, the NYSES publications and Green Energy Times. In 2014, she won the Rebecca Vories award.
Daniel Simon – Vice Chair October 2022 – October 2024
Daniel Simon has been a member of ASES for twenty years and attends ASES annual conferences most years. He has served as Vice-Chair of the Clean Energy and Water Division for many years (until that was folded into the Sustainability Division a few years ago), and most recently as Vice-Chair of the Photovoltaics Division. Daniel has been fascinated with solar energy since he was a young boy, and seeks ways to speed the transition to a low-carbon economy. He has studied engineering in undergrad (mechanical), physics in grad school (optical design), and business post-graduate (MBA). Daniel is an inventor, entrepreneur and most recently angel investor (past ~18 months). He works for the Helen Brach Foundation, which is focused primarily on helping respond to the immediate needs of individuals, but believes his interest in ASES has helped ensure grant support for the fine work of this organization in recent years.
Summer Ferreira – Chair 2021
Bio – Dr. Summer Ferreira is the Manager for the Renewable and Distributed Systems Integration program, which promotes the research and development of technologies that enable grid modernization and resiliency, along with the large-scale deployment of renewable and distributed energy sources. Prior to her role at RDSI, beginning in 2011, Summer led the Energy Storage Analysis Laboratory at Sandia in support of the DOE Office of Electricity program, after spending the two previous years here at a postdoctoral researcher in hybrid organic/inorganic photovoltaics.
John Burke – Chair 2019 – October 2024
Bio – I have been actively involved with Maine Solar Energy Association (MESEA) since 1990, and on the board since 2000. I continue with my d-i-y solar PV activities with SEADS of Truth, Inc (1980) and DAD Solar, Inc (2011), non-profit solar educational corporations. I have presented hundreds of ‘hands-on’ solar assembly workshops (PV and Thermal), with the general public; junior and senior high schools; as well as other interested groups, across the country and around the world, since 1980. I facilitated the effort to establish MESEA as a full state chapter of ases.org, with Dr. Richard Komp. The Downeast Solar Center in Jonesport, Maine, has a history that includes passive solar building practices (1985), international ‘intern program’, as well as many solar assembly and ‘off-grid’ installation workshops. We are continuing with activities to promote understanding and utilization of Solar Energy and self-reliant lifestyles. I have a BFA (Fine Arts) degree (1974), from the Univ. of Hawai’i, Manoa. I’m working on a book that combines the Art and Solar aspects of my life. I have been involved with anti-nuclear and Peace actions since 1970
Rich Stromberg – Vice Chair October 2022 – October 2024
Gilbert Michaud – Chair 2019 – October 2023
Bio – Gilbert Michaud, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Energy and Environmental Policy at the School of Environmental Sustainability at Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Michaud also serves as a Faculty Affiliate at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, and as a Senior Research Fellow at Global Law Initiatives for Sustainable Development (gLAWcal). An engaged and applied scholar, Michaud’s research portfolio broadly focuses on solar energy policy, electricity markets, and sustainable economic development. Recent work has focused on the unfolding energy transition in the U.S., including studies on workforce and tax impacts, pollution mitigation scenarios, and innovative clean energy deployment programs. He holds a PhD in Public Policy and Administration from the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), as well as a certificate in Data Analytics from Cornell University.
Manajit Sengupta – Chair January 2023 – October 2024
Bio – Dr. Manajit Sengupta is a Senior Manager of Programs and an internationally recognized R&D Leader with 20+ years of experience in product development and management, customer engagement, strategic planning, proposal development and negotiation, and technical and financial management of projects. He has strong technical acumen with the ability to anticipate new problems and work with the renewable energy industry to develop innovative solutions. Manajit is experienced in partnering with clients to develop understanding of long-term client needs and offer comprehensive cost-effective solutions. He has a proven ability to build and manage cross-cutting teams of highly skilled professionals to solve cutting-edge problems. Currently Manajit leads Solar Measurement and Modeling at NREL. Manajit and his group maintains expertise in solar and atmospheric resource measurement, modeling, and forecasting for renewable energy applications. His technical expertise lie in solar and atmospheric measurement, modeling, data analytics, forecasting, and remote sensing. He is internationally recognized in his field with numerous publications on satellite-based resource assessment, PV modeling, and uncertainty analysis. Manajit led the development of the National Solar Radiation Data Base, the world’s leading public solar data product. Before joining NREL, Manajit worked at Colorado State University and the Pacific National Northwest Laboratory. His research areas have also included cloud and solar radiation modeling for future satellites and the impact of clouds on climate change.
Julian Wang – Chair 2020 – October 2024
Bio – Julian Wang is Associate Professor in Architectural Engineering and the Director of the ArchiLambda Laboratory at Penn State University. He also holds affiliated positions within the Material Research Institute and the Architecture Department at PSU. He received a Ph.D. in Architecture from Texas A&M University and Dr. Eng. in Building Physics from Tianjin University. Before joining PSU, he has worked at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of Cincinnati, and Tsinghua University. His research focuses on interdisciplinary applications of building physics and computational methods in sustainable, healthy, and interactive building environments. His research projects have been funded by AIA, NSF, EPA, DOE, and NIST, and the project topics are related to building envelopes, solar energy utilization, smart buildings, daylighting, BIM parametric design, and biomimetic design. Also, solar building design and engineering are one of his primary research trajectories, in which he has received several federal research awards, such as NSF CAREER (about the independent modulation of solar infrared radiation in spectrally selective glazing systems) and IESNA Richard Kelly (about visual and thermal effects of solar radiation through building envelopes). Julian also sits in the editorial board of the journal of Technology, Architecture, and Design (TAD) published by Taylor & Francis and serves in committees in several professional organizations including ASHRAE, IESNA, and NIBS and the international conferences, such as the Passive Low Energy Architecture (PLEA) conferences, Architectural Research Centers Consortium (ARCC), and Architecture and Civil Engineering (ACE) conferences.
Bio – For over 40 years, I have been a passionate proponent of residential passive solar energy! When a home uses less heating energy by taking advantage of the free heat of the sun, then the PV system can be much smaller. My company, Sun Plans, founded in 2002, provides passive solar house plans and custom home design services for clients throughout the U.S. and Canada. Hundreds of homes have been built according to the passive solar heating and cooling principles illustrated in my book “The Sun-Inspire House: house designs warmed and brightened by the sun” first published in 2005. The principles are rooted in the early Passive Solar Design Strategies: Guidelines for Home Building that were developed by Doug Balcomb, an early passive solar pioneer, in association with PSIC, NREL, DOE and many people associated with ASES. Since 1984, I have been a registered architect and currently hold registrations in Alabama and North Carolina. In other states, I provide residential design services. My Bachelor of Architecture was received from the University of Arizona where I gained the fundamentals in sustainable and energy education. Passive solar heating and passive cooling elements were part of the design process and not something that could be tacked onto a building or set of plans at the end. I am a LEED G.A. and believe that sun-inspired design is the gold lining of green building. Taking advantage of the free heat of the sun to warm buildings in winter is low hanging fruit for energy-savings. In 2015, I completed the Zero Net Energy Home Design course by Marc Rosenbaum, P.E., Energysmiths where I logged over 200 hours exploring the details of what it takes to design a zero net energy home. Homes built from my designs have been on the National Solar Tour for over 20 years across the U.S. I have been published in Fine Homebuilding, Solar Today, Mother Earth News, Home Power, and Home Energy. I have presented papers, posters and seminars on passive solar design in the U.S. and Canada. I was the general contractor for my previous sun-inspired home and assisted with the renovations of my current one. These construction projects have given me experience in the construction details of high-performance, low-energy homes. In both homes, the energy consumption typically averages around 700 kWh per month for the home’s energy use with about 1/3 being the heating/cooling portion.
Henry K. Vandermark – Chair 2014 – October 2023
Bio – Henry K. Vandermark founded Solar Wave Energy in 1978 where he has been involved in design, installation and service of solar thermal systems including site-built and factory-built collectors. He spent 30 years installing and servicing many types of solar hot water systems used in the Northeast U.S. and brings detailed analysis and that hands-on experience to solar monitoring. He currently oversees the team that has built and operates www.thermal-grid.com , a web-based solar thermal monitoring platform designed to help installers optimize performance, manage service of solar thermal systems and provide reports for performance based incentives program, Thermal PPAs, and company fleets. Monitoring experience includes conventional solar thermal systems with flat-plate and evacuated tubes panels as well as hybrids (PV-Therms/PVT) panels combining thermal and electrical production. He has taught conference workshops, trade school classes, and programs for science teachers. He continues to consult on solar thermal designs for building applications and portfolio management using the monitoring platform as a Lifetime Commissioning tool to optimize efficiency. He is the board chair of the Boston Area Solar Energy Association, member of ASES, ISES, NESEA, SEIA (Solar Heating and Cooling Alliance) and participates in several working groups and forums such as those of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Solar Heating and Cooling Programme), Solar Thermal R&D and the Solar Desalination Forum.
Bill Guiney – Vice Chair October 2022 – October 2024
William T. Guiney (Bill) has more than 40-years of experience in the solar industry as a retailer, solar contractor, distributor, manufacturer and educator. Currently Bill is the President of Artic Solar Inc. a high temperature solar thermal collector manufacturer in Jacksonville, FL. Previously, Bill was the Director of the Solar Heating and Cooling business at Johnson Controls. Inc., he also served as the Program Director for Global Renewable Energy Development and Program Manager for the development of the PV and Solar Thermal business at JCI. Prior to JCI, he was the General Manager of Solar Thermal at Duke Solar & Solargenix Energy. Bill also was a consultant to the Florida Solar Energy Center, at the University of Central Florida. He has an inactive Solar Contracting license in Florida and was founder of a solar distribution business with three branches in Florida. Nominated for a World Energy Award for “A guide to Fee-for-Service Solar Water Heating Programs for Caribbean Electric Utilities” business plan. Bill has previously been the primary Solar Thermal Instructor for both the North Carolina and Florida Solar Energy Centers and provided training workshops throughout the Caribbean, and Asia. Bill also chaired the Entry Level Solar Thermal Committee for NABCEP and has been active in many state’s solar organizations.
Paulette Middleton – Chair 2019 – October 2023
Bio – For me the ultimate vision is a world where people are living in harmony with each other and nature. I bring 20 years of experience with ASES and ISES; 40+ year professional career in energy and environmental issues with expertise in air quality and climate change science; program management and strategic planning; stakeholder dialogues aimed at policy development; and communication through diverse media. As an atmospheric chemist (PhD Chemistry 1973 University of Texas) specializing in scientific assessments that support decision making at regional and international levels, I have held leadership/executive positions at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Atmospheric Sciences Research Center at the State University of New York at Albany, Science & Policy Associates, Inc., and RAND. In addition to my work with ISES and ASES, other ongoing activities include Global Emissions Initiative (GEIA) http://geiacenter.org/ coordinator, and environment/energy advisor to diverse organizations through my company Panorama Pathways (http://www.panoramapathways.net).