The Power of Re-thinking and Pioneering Energy
Friday, April 11 | 10:45-12:00PM |Ford Shop
Daniel E. Boss is the vice-president of research and development at GAF Corporation. Dan is an accomplished engineer and executive adept at developing and launching commercially successful products. In his current role, Dan is responsible for all R&D for GAF, the largest roofing company in North America, including residential and commercial roofing systems and materials, ventilation, materials engineering, ventilation, and building science efforts. He has had the opportunity to work in a range of industries during his career, including defense, high-temperature materials, contract R&D, automotive, electronics, and building materials. Dan received his B.S. in ChE from the University of Southern California, his M.S. in MSE from UCLA, and his Ph.D. in MSE from Northwestern University.
Neal Saiki is a proven innovator of electric motorcycles, full suspension mountain bikes, rock climbing gear and numerous other products. While completing his undergraduate aeronautical engineering degree at Cal Poly he used his problem solving capabilities to set a world aviation record for the first successful human-powered helicopter. Neal went on to receive his master’s degree in aeronautical engineering while doing aerodynamic research at NASA. In 2005, Neal worked on electric motorcycles and founded Zero Motorcycles. Zero has become the leader in this fledgling industry.
Douglas R. Wogstad began a major career pivot into the fledgling alternative energy field in 2004, assisting in the planning and startup of a biodiesel distribution company. He later joined with his current business partners in 2006 to transition a small environmentally responsible construction company into a start-up venture with the primary focus of efficiently harnessing wind energy. His continued contributions in the role of business planning and development, generator design coordination, and turbine system integration and sales with Small Wind Turbines resulted in a national semifinalist award during the 2013 CleanTech Open. Formal education includes a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University and an MBA in finance and management information systems from the University of Minnesota.