Smart Lighting Challenge Judges

Boston University – Thomas Little, Professor and case author, Smart Lighting Challenge

Thomas Little is Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Principal Investigator, and Associate Director of the NSF Smart Lighting ERC. Little oversees the Boston University effort of the grant as Site Coordinator and is also the Outdoor Communications and Transportation Testbed Leader.

Professor Little’s research focus in the grant is in the Systems area – in the adaptation of novel LED-based materials and devices for the support of visible-light-based communication and communications networking. By exploiting the ubiquity of future man-made lighting from solid state (LED) devices we anticipate ubiquitous network connectivity. Little’s research is directed at the intersection of networking, free-space optical communications, and the “anywhere” computing that they enable. Examples include supporting “trickle” data dissemination in sensor networks, achieving HD video streaming in high bandwidth-density scenarios such as aircraft seating, and improving vehicular safety via robust vehicle-to-vehicle communications.

Boston University – Tarik Borogovac, Postdoctoral Research Associate and Lecturer

Tarik Borogovac is a Postdoctoral Research Associate and Lecturer in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Boston University and at the Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center. His current research is high data rate visible light communications. His other interests include efficient stochastic simulation algorithms and
modeling of systems in the areas of photonics, statistical mechanics, and finance. Dr. Borogovac received his BS and MS degrees in Computer Engineering in 2003, and his PhD degree in Systems Engineering in 2009, at Boston University.

Boston University – Linda Grosser – Administrative Director of Boston University’s Clean Energy Initiative (CEESI)

As Administrative Director of Boston University’s Clean Energy Initiative (CEESI), Linda is helping launch Boston University’s multi-disciplinary, university-wide research and education initiative with responsibilities in the Smart Neighborhood Living Laboratory, as well as CEESI industrial partnerships, management and programs.  Linda manages industrial outreach for the BU portion of the National Science Foundation Smart Lighting  Engineering Research Center.  She is also the Associate Director for the Center for Information and Systems Engineering, an interdisciplinary center focusing in complex systems engineering research with approximately $3 million in annual external funding.  Linda is a 16-year veteran of IBM Corporation, where she worked in technical marketing and management in the insurance, manufacturing and federal government sectors.  She holds BA in Mathematics from Case Western Reserve University and is currently enrolled in the MBA program at Boston University’s School of Management.

Chevron Energy Solutions – John Dotson, Vice President & General Counsel

As Vice President & General Counsel, John oversees all legal affairs and the contracts function of Chevron Energy Solutions. John has practiced general corporate law, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, private equity and project finance. In addition to practicing in major law firms, John held a number of positions at Raytheon, including Vice President—Strategic Transactions Counsel for Raytheon Systems Company, as well as Director, Corporate Development, and Assistant General Counsel for Raytheon Company. After Raytheon, he became the General Counsel & Chief Administrative Officer of Premium Power Corporation, a regenerative fuel cell company.

John also served on the Board of Directors of Proteus Power Limited, a New Zealand developer of lithium ion ultracapacitors. Prior to being named Vice President & General Counsel of CES, John was in the Major Capital Projects Practice Group of Chevron International Exploration & Production Company.

Constellation Energy (NYSE:CEG) – Brett Feldman, Director, Constellation NewEnergy

Brett Feldman is a Director for Constellation NewEnergy, Inc., a subsidiary of Constellation Energy (NYSE:CEG).  Mr. Feldman is a member of a company-wide team focused on load response and the integration of efficiency technologies and applications that help customers better manage energy usage.  As a Director, he designs and executes load response offerings for commercial and industrial customers in New England and New York.

Nexamp – Elijah Ercolino, Energy Engineer

Elijah Ercolino is an Energy Engineer at Nexamp. He works with Nexamp clients to identify and evaluate actionable energy efficiency and renewable energy savings opportunities. Elijah brings over a decade of experience in project management, leadership, and technology. Before joining Nexamp, he worked with MTPV LLC, a novel Photovoltaics start-up company. In this role, he led the company’s government relations program and worked in clean room device fabrication. Elijah also researched HVAC energy efficiency while working with Boston University Facilities Management, founded the BU Energy Club, and was a charter member of the Energy Efficiency working group of the BU Sustainability Committee.  He holds BA degrees in Political Science and History from the University of Idaho and received his MS in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University.

Northeastern University – Dr. Chad Joshi, Adjunct Faculty at NEU’s College of Professional Studies

Dr. Chad Joshi is an entrepreneur and educator whose expertise is in industrial and utility-scale energy systems. He is currently an Adjunct Faculty at Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies teaching courses in Renewable Energy and Power Generation. In his consulting role, he is working with a utility-scale energy storage company to assess the market and develop a business strategy to bring their technology to market. He also co-founded and launched Owl Power Company a developer of cogeneration system that runs on waste vegetable oil. Dr. Joshi developed a business plan around their technology, recruited key members of the management team and successfully helped them raise their first round of funding to launch the company. He also co-mentored an MIT-based company to a second place finish in the 2008 Ignite Clean Energy (ICE) business plan competition. With over 30 years of experience in the energy industry, Dr. Joshi can quickly assess nascent technology, and through his extensive network build a company to take advantage of the opportunity.

Osram Sylvania – Roy Harvey, Manager, Industry Standards and Regulatory Affairs

Osram Sylvania is an industrial Advisory board member of the NSF/Smart Lighting Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center.

Philips Color Kinetics – Tracey Estabrook, Product Manager

Tracey Estabrook is a Product Manager at Philips Color Kinetics and an alumni of both the BU School of Engineering and the BU MBA program.  In her role with Philips Color Kinetics, she manages the line of controllers and software for a wide range of lighting products.

Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center (ERC) – Robert F. Karlicek, PhD, ERC Director

Dr. Robert F. Karlicek, Jr. is currently the Director of the Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, an NSF and industry funded program exploring advanced applications for next generation lighting. Prior to joining RPI, he spent over 30 years in industrial research and R&D management positions with corporations including AT&T Bell Labs, EMCORE, General Electric, Gore Photonics, Microsemi, Luminus Devices and SolidUV. His technical experience includes epitaxial growth of high performance LEDs and lasers, advanced device fabrication and high power LED packaging, thermal management, control systems design and applications in solid state lighting as well as other novel LED uses such as IR and UV LED applications.
Dr. Karlicek is well known globally as an LED industry expert, and is a frequent presenter at conferences and workshops. He obtained his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh and has over 40 published technical papers and 24 U.S. patents.

Wikoff Color – Veda Ferlazzo Clark, member, Board of Directors

Veda Ferlazzo Clark serves on the Board of Directors for Wikoff Color, an employee-owned company in South Carolina; and on the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee for the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. She also served on the Board of the Illuminating Engineering Society and on several IES Committees.