Dr. Kyri Baker Associate Profesor University of Colorado

Dr. Kyri Baker received her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 2009, 2010, and 2014, respectively. From 2015 to 2017, she worked at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Since Fall 2017, she has been an Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder and is now an Associate Professor and a Fellow of the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI). She combats climate change by developing computational tools that leverage optimization and machine learning to operate energy systems more efficiently and reliably. Dr. Baker has received a National Science Foundation CAREER award for her work combining power system operations with machine learning.

Dr. Sara Frimodig Head of Optimization Ingrid Capacity AB

Sara Frimodig is Head of Optimization at Ingrid Capacity, a leading developer of large-scale battery energy storage systems. Holding a PhD in Applied and Computational Mathematics from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, she specializes in advanced optimization techniques for energy market operations. Dr. Frimodig leads the development of algorithmic decision-support systems that enable efficient, data-driven participation in ancillary and spot markets across Europe.

Dr. Antonio Frangioni Professor

Antonio Frangioni's career has been very "local": he got his Master in Computer Science in 1992 at the University of Pisa, his Ph.D. in Computer Science in 1996 at the same place, where he became first Research Associate (in the same year), then Associate Professor (2004), then Full Professor (2012), and where he still is nowadays. His main research interest is the analysis, development, implementation and testing of solution approaches for large-scale structured optimization problems at the interface between continuous and combinatorial optimization, with emphasis on (re)formulation techniques to expose and exploit valuable structural properties, and their real-life application in several fields (energy, transportation, telecommunications, ...) He's also interested in the numerical analysis, computer science, artificial intelligence and machine learning issues arising within these solution approaches and, vice-versa, in the use of mathematical programming techniques in these disciplines.

Dr. Maksymilian Grab Chief Specialist PSE - Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne

Doctor of mathematics. He was educated at the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow and the Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Mechanics of the University of Warsaw. Analyst, researcher with many years of experience in conducting and coordinating computer-aided research and development work. Since 2021, he has been associated with the Interdisciplinary Team for Energy Analysis at the National Center for Nuclear Research, where he dealt with issues related to the shape of the European electricity market and cooperation between operators, as well as issues of security of supply and optimization of the generation mix in the power industry. He manages work on planning energy transformation paths for cities and local governments.

Dr. Georgios Mavromatidis Head of Urban Energy Systems Laboratory Empa

I am the Head of the Urban Energy Systems Laboratory at Empa, Switzerland, and a research affiliate and lecturer at ETH Zurich, researching transformation strategies for sustainable urban energy systems in a changing climate. Driven by the urgent need to create resilient, equitable, and sustainable urban environments, I develop advanced computational models and analysis methods to design strategies for the practical realization of sustainable urban energy transitions. My research focuses on the interconnected nature of buildings, mobility, and energy systems, exploring how their transformation can support decarbonization and long-term sustainability. At the interface of technology, policy, and economics, my current research expands on these foundations by integrating societal dimensions into modeling approaches. By bridging science, engineering, and policy, I aim to develop solutions that are not only technically and economically sound but also socially viable, accelerating the transition toward sustainable, low-carbon cities. I hold a PhD in Urban Energy Systems from ETH Zurich, where my research focused on developing computational methods for the design of urban energy systems under uncertainty. Before that, I earned an MSc in Sustainable Energy Futures from Imperial College London and a Diploma (Dipl.-Ing.) in Mechanical Engineering from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Antoine Oustry Researcher RTE

Antoine Oustry holds a Master of Science from the Ecole Polytechnique, a Master in Public Administration from the Ecole des Ponts and a PhD in Computer Science (Operations Research) from the Ecole Polytechnique. During his thesis, Antoine contributed to the field of global nonlinear optimization, with applications to power flow problems. After graduation, Antoine joined the French Treasury as a policy analyst on the public support for road transport electrification. Since January 2025, he has been working at RTE, the French Transmission System Operator, leading the R&D roadmap on energy system modelling for long-term resource adequacy assessment and planning studies.

John Poppelaars Director Doing the Math

John Poppelaars is the founder of Doing the Math, a consultancy dedicated to advancing sustainable decision-making through data and mathematics. As a senior advisor, John applies mathematical modelling to help organisations make better decisions in complex environments.

With extensive expertise in the energy sector John has supported clients in enhancing decision quality across a wide range of challenges. His work includes the design of energy hubs, control of gas networks, improvement of grid capacity, and transport optimisation—contributing to a more resilient and efficient energy infrastructure in support of the shift to a carbon-neutral system.

John’s innovative application of mathematics has earned international recognition: the team he led was awarded the prestigious INFORMS Franz Edelman Award. Before founding Doing the Math, John held senior leadership roles at ORTEC and BearingPoint, where he helped clients across industries optimise operations and embed mathematics into strategic decision-making.

Thomas Bittar Operations Research RTE

Thomas Bittar holds an engineering degree from Ecole Centrale de Lyon and a MSc in Applied Mathematics from the University of Cambridge. Then, he did a PhD in stochastic optimization at Ecole des Ponts, jointly with EDF (Électricité de France). He joined RTE in 2021 to work on the modelling and optimization algorithms for energy systems in prospective studies. He takes part in developments within the Antares Simulator and Antares Xpansion tools, used by RTE and other TSOs to perform prospective analysis.

Dr. Daniel S. Bick Expert Hydrogen Technology OGE

Dr. Daniel S. Bick holds a PhD in Electrochemistry from RWTH Aachen and an M.Sc. in Materials Science from TU Darmstadt. Since 2019, he has been with Open Grid Europe (OGE), leading key hydrogen initiatives including the H₂ Suitability Project, H₂ Testing Project, and OGE’s H₂ Flexibility Forecasting & Optimisation Platform.

Oliver Bastert CTO Gurobi Optimization

Oliver brings a wealth of experience as an innovative and results-driven product leader with over two decades of expertise in B2B software, SaaS, and AI technologies.

Sami Ghazouani Optimization Engineer TotalEnergies

Project Manager specializing in the development of calculation methodologies and Python-based optimization models for hybrid energy systems, including renewables, batteries, electrolysers, and thermal technologies. Leads the creation of standardized IT environments for collaborative code development across company entities. Supports over 50 internal feasibility and decarbonization studies, with applications ranging from green hydrogen to grid-connected assets. Manages a team of 5–10 engineers, including PhD researchers, and actively pursues training in agile and cross-functional project management.

Andreas Jahn Senior Associate Regulatory Assistance Project

As a senior associate in Berlin, Andreas Jahn focuses on issues relating to the German “Energiewende”, or energy transition, helping develop and advance regulatory options for a carbon-neutral power sector, including demand-side resources and tariff design. He also supports RAP’s work throughout Europe. Jahn has extensive experience with power markets and regulation, as well as knowledge of the German national political arena. Prior to joining RAP, Jahn was responsible for all energy policy and regulatory matters as the director of regulatory affairs at lekker Energie, a German electricity and gas provider. Through his work as a senior expert for the Association of New Energy Suppliers, he gained valuable insight into political decision-making processes and legislative procedures. He was also a member of the Federal Ministry of Economics’ task force on legislation to implement grid regulation in Germany. Andreas Jahn has extensive knowledge of the technical, environmental, and political aspects of energy markets through his degree in environmental science from Leeuwarden (Netherlands) and Bingen (Germany). In addition to his native German, Andreas speaks fluent English and advanced Spanish.

Dr. Fabian Neumann Postdoctoral Researcher in Energy Systems TU Berlin

Energy system modeller at the Department of Digital Transformation of Energy Systems at TU Berlin. Previously completed a PhD in the Energy System Modelling Group at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, following research roles at Fraunhofer ISI and a Master's in Sustainable Energy Systems from the University of Edinburgh. Holds a Bachelor's in Industrial Engineering with a focus on energy technologies and informatics from KIT, with research experience in electric vehicle and heat pump scheduling under uncertainty.

Endika Urresti Padrón Optimization and Modelling Expert PSE, Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne

Endika Urresti Padrón is an optimization and modelling expert at PSE, Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne S.A., the Polish Transmission System Operator. Over nearly a decade, he has been deeply engaged in the energy sector, collaborating extensively with the Polish TSO (PSE), DSOs, technical universities, and utilities. His work focuses on developing tools for power system and energy market analysis through optimization techniques and High-Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructure. Endika’s professional journey includes roles as a project manager and researcher at the National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ), Poland's largest research institute, within the Interdisciplinary Division for Energy Analyses (IDEA). Regarding his projects, he contributed to the design of the new Polish balancing market optimization engine, which has been operational since June 2024. From 2018 and 2020, Endika led two Horizon 2020 (H2020) research projects funded by the European Commission—EU-SysFlex and OneNet—on behalf of NCBJ. These projects aimed to develop optimization algorithms for cross-border remedial actions among different TSOs and TSO/DSO coordination mechanisms, enabling DSO units to participate in the balancing market without compromising the integrity of DSO networks. Endika has authored several publications on topics such as risk management in power system operations using dynamic simulations and enhancing system resilience through cascade simulations. Additionally, he contributed to creating a transmission expansion planning tool for PSE, an advanced optimization tool incorporating features like storage device integration.

Swantje Möhle Energy Modeling Engineer Austrian Power Grid (APG)

Swantje Möhle holds a MSc in Physics from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. After completing her studies, she spent two years at Schneider Electric North America working on complex power monitoring systems. Since May 2024, Swantje has been working as an Energy Modeling Engineer at the Austrian Power Grid (APG) TSO where she is a developer on the PyPSA-TSO Model, focusing on cross-sector energy system optimization and scenario building.

Paul Friedrich Zelle Systems Planning Engineer TransnetBW

Paul Friedrich Zelle, M.Sc. (RWTH) is a Systems Planning Engineer at TransnetBW, where he serves as Product Owner of PyPSA-TSO, an open-source modeling tool tailored for transmission system operators. He is also an external PhD candidate at the Department of Energy Systems (ENSYS), TU Berlin, focusing on advanced energy system modeling and planning.

Juan Esteban Sierra Aguilar Mathematical Modeling lead – Economic Dispatch Analyst XM

Juan Esteban holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in engineering with an emphasis in Energy Systems from the University of Antioquia, Colombia. During his graduate studies, he developed dispatch models that incorporate intermittent renewable energy sources, applying both stochastic and robust optimization methodologies. He currently works as a mathematical modeling specialist at XM, the Colombian electricity system operator. In this role, he leads the team responsible for the mathematical formulation and optimization of the national economic dispatch model. His work has been instrumental in modernizing both the modeling architecture and the mathematical foundations of the dispatch process, enhancing the system’s ability to address operational complexity, integrate regulatory changes, and improve cost-efficiency in real-time decision-making.

Alice Jackson VP of GRIDS Breakthrough Energy

Alice Jackson is the VP of GRIDS at Breakthrough Energy. The provision of electricity to all people around the world is complex and challenging. It involves meeting the needs of residential customers, large industrial customers, and everyone in between, while lowering pollution, increasing reliability, and maintaining affordability.

The processes and tools for system designs, operations, and insights have been developed over the past 100+ years, and there is no definitive answer on how to achieve this. Additionally, navigating the rules and regulations of national versus local or state requirements adds another layer of complexity. Finding a worldwide solution to zero-carbon is daunting.

Alice’s team at Breakthrough Energy is tackling this problem one component at a time, focusing on tools, efficiency and progress rather than debate and delay. The team is dedicated to finding and sharing common datasets, understanding the physics and impacts of new energy sources, and providing facts and repeatable processes that anyone can use at a low cost to solve one of society’s greatest challenges: eliminating carbon and avoiding catastrophic global warming.

Alice has held a variety of roles in the energy industry over the past 20+ years. From her early days at Enron, to software development and energy management at Oxy, and her nearly 14 years at Xcel Energy leading functions such as regulatory, being President of Colorado, and serving as Chief Planning Officer responsible for building steps to achieve a zero-carbon electric system, all these roles have prepared her for this critical task.

Beyond her professional life, Alice is also a mom to four boys and soon-to-be step-mom to two more. The imperative of finding solutions and bringing people together to make progress is even more essential to her. A mission-driven career that connects with her home life is a dream job, and one Alice looks forward to every day.

Alexandros Fakas Kakouris Senior Manager Renewables Grid Initiative

Alexandros is a Senior Manager for Energy and Policy Systems at the Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI), a unique collaboration of Transmission System Operators (TSO) and NGOs across Europe. Alexandros joined RGI in 2021 and leads policy-related initiatives. A fully qualified lawyer in Greece, Alexandros has previously worked as legal counsel in various professional settings and holds a Master’s degree in European and International Energy Law from the Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin).