Kevin Balkoski Email & Phone Number

San Diego, California, United States

Harnessing AI to help people thrive in an increasingly complex world.

San Francisco, California, United States

Plutoshift is the leader in operational intelligence. Plutoshift's GROUNDED AI™ platform is empowering teams with automated performance monitoring for any industrial workflow. We're transforming industrial work, one process at a time.

★ Manage data-focused team to explore and build analytics products including: • D3.js/Flask-based dashboard to analyze sentiment of tweets related to major US airlines • Python model to predict the category of insurance claims from anonymized data

★ Managed remote team to develop an analytics platform (D4) for large US trucking company: • Django/JavaScript-based web application environment to serve hundreds of users • Released usable product iterations every 2 weeks using Agile development practices resulting in better than 50% reduction in time-to-release★ Developed Python analytics app to predict effects weather has on supply & demand of logistics markets(Contractor from Feb 2015. Full time employee in Aug 2015)

Mountain View, Ca

I was responsible for the performance of our CLFR products. I've been primarily involved in optical and performance modeling, design, optimization, and testing of our systems. Below is a list of just a few select accomplishments:★ Lead optical designer developing the company’s next generation receiver optical system with a higher efficiency, improved manufacturability, and reduced complexity compared to prototype★ Identified the need for improved performance on a previous secondary mirror design for 125 MW project and increased the optical efficiency by developing a new optical design method ★ Developed an improved tracking strategy to significantly enhance controllability of system★ Primary engineer on cross-functional optimization study to discover the company’s next commercial product: developed and integrated optical, performance, & cost models★ Designed absolute and relative flux measurement system for a CLFR system★ Lead performance team responsible for performance modeling and testing, optics, and CFD modeling

Merced, California Area

SunTherm Energy was incorporated in the spring of 2010 by myself and two other University of California, Merced alumni. The company's mission was to develop and manufacture the next generation of solar thermal systems based on our novel non-tracking technology for industrial and commercial businesses. SunTherm Energy’s primary vision was to relieve the Central Valley’s dependence on natural gas while expanding our customer base throughout the United States.In March of 2012, SunTherm Energy's assets were successfully transferred to B2U Solar, Inc (https://sites.google.com/site/b2usolar/news).★ With a $160B addressable US market for solar thermal, the team set out to create a cost-effective concentrated solar thermal system for industrial process heat and A/C applications ★ Developed method to optimize optical designs to minimize the levelized cost of energy using nonimaging optical design principles combined with proprietary techniques by leveraging algorithms developed in Matlab to interact with LightTools’ powerful optimization features★ Designed product to deliver energy at a cost 30% lower than competition with up to twice the energy output for a market addressing industrial and commercial solar applications at temperatures up to 200°C

Roland Winston's Solar Research GroupCalifornia Advanced Solar Technology Initiative (CAST)Merced Energy Research Institute (MERI)★ Founding group member for UC Merced's solar cooling project • Designed and analyzed XCPC Optics for the system with MatLab and LightTools • Designed initial system as part of a team • Modeled system flow/pressure drop, absorption chiller, and heat exchanger in MatLab/Simulink • Created 3D rendered images of collector design in SolidWorks ★ Designed and performed experiments on various solar thermal collectors • Lead researcher • Developed new methods of measuring efficiency through calorimetry • Set up data acquisition and analysis system • Wrote reports outlining this testing and its results for the California Energy Commission★ Designed and analyzed several CPV components • Co-invented patent pending CPV design with Roland Winston★ Design and analysis of light-weight, fold-able, and portable CPV designs★ Thermal and optical model designed to understand the performance of a vacuum counter-flow solar thermal tube

Roland Winston's Solar Research Group★ Designed and performed experiments on various solar thermal collectors • Instrumented and assembled UC Merced's solar thermal test loop • Analyzed data★ Modeled solar thermal components • Modeled the thermal performance of XCPCs/evacuated tubes using EES • Modeled the optical performance of XCPCs using LightTools★ Assembled and tested CPV designs★ Designed and analyzed CPV systems★ Supported UC Merced's Service Learning "Mining and Mineral Museum" concentrated daylighting team • Analyzed power output of prototype • Programmed solar tracker

• Provided paraprofessional advising to 32 undergraduate students each semester for two consecutive years• Developed and led programs on diversity, personal development, relationships, time management, and academic performance• Received “Most Reliable Award” among the Housing Department staff of over 20 members

Ms, Mechanical Engineering And Applied Mechanics

★ Received the University of California, Merced Energy Research Institute Summer Fellowship (June 2010) ★ Received Dan David Scholarship.

Bs, Environmental Engineering