- +1 812 863 2424
- info@bicindiana.com
- 7970 S. Energy Drive, Newberry IN 47449
Les Alexander, brings financial, operations, and business development experience to the Battery Innovation Center. Over the last thirty plus years, Les has held executive positions at Navitas Systems (VP Research and Development and Government Business Development), Inmatech (CEO) (Supercapacitor start up), A123 Systems (GM Government Business), and T/J Technologies (COO). He has developed an expertise with energy storage startups and mid-size companies, strategically focused on growing R&D, and product development opportunities for the U.S Military and commercial markets.
Alexander is a retired Lieutenant Commander as U.S. Naval Supply Corps Officer who served in the Persian Gulf War. He has managed large military budgets and programs for aircraft carriers and military bases. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, with a B.A. in Economics, and he holds a Master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in Government Acquisitions.
Heather Mischler is the Office Manager and Accounting Administrator for the Battery Innovation Center. Heather received an AAS in Accounting from Vincennes University in 2013 and a BA in Japanese Language & Culture from Eastern Michigan University in 2010. Since then, Heather has gained more than five years of practical accounting knowledge from bookkeeping to audits, cash management to financial statements, as well as accounts receivable and payable, to name a few.
Tyson Craig is the Lead Cell Fabrication Technician at the Battery Innovation Center. He joined the BIC in May of 2014 after graduating from Vincennes University with an Associates in Electronics Technology. Tyson’s skill set includes cell design, cell fabrication, and hardware design and layout for all 18650’s, pouch and coin cell testing.
Jonathan Pace is the lead technician for the Test and Evaluation Team. Taking concrete actions to advance both personally and professionally, Jonathan is currently working towards finishing his Associate’s Degree in Electronics Technology at Vincennes University.
Jonathan spent 7 years in the United States Army as an Artillery Cannon Crewmember. Serving 2 tours overseas, he continually leverages the skills gained with artillery equipment, which translate to a great precision with test set-ups and evaluating batteries through the data recorded during test. His growth mindset creates a natural tendency to strive to pursue any knowledge he can get his hands on when it relates to his work.
In addition to gaining academic experience, Jonathan spends a substantial portion of his time outside of the BIC chasing mechanical problems and diagnoses with vehicles and tends to use those same techniques in his day to day operations at the BIC.
Along with being the president of the local fire department and a distinguished first responder, Rodney is the owner and operator of Bad Wolf Fabrication.
Rodney brings a unique skillset to the BIC with more than 15 years of experience in the drag racing auto field, specializing in sales and fabrication. His diverse background also includes 5 years as team leader and head operator in a multimillion-dollar quarry, along with 3 years as the lead mechanic for a Kawasaki pro rider.
His experience-driven background serves to enforce both practicality in design, as well as an intuition on how to implement complex projects within budgetary constraints.
“A thirst for knowledge has always propelled me into new experiences, a byproduct of this is a well-rounded understanding of many industries.”
Cara is an Advanced Battery Fabrication Engineer and she enjoys developing strategies and creatively leveraging resources to solve challenges.
Cara received her BSE with majors in Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Studies at Case Western Reserve University. At CWRU, she gained experience in materials laboratories using a big data approach to researching lifecycle extension for photovoltaics. Her work in alternative energy and electrical power systems co-ops provide a diverse background for supporting BIC initiatives in data management and research.
Scott Gray is an Advanced Battery Scientist for the Battery Innovation Center with a focus on data
processing and analysis. He received his MS in Materials Science & Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2019. During his time at Georgia Tech, he participated in the research and development of experimental molten-salt batteries.
As a battery scientist, Scott is experienced with each step of the cell manufacturing process, as well as with using electrochemical analysis techniques such as EIS and dQ/dV to characterize the behavior and performance of experimental electrodes. Currently, Scott is working developing a portfolio for the Battery Innovation Center to document how changes in each step of the battery development process can impact the final performance of a cell.
When he is not in the lab, he enjoys developing scripts to help automate tasks for the team and
following up on the successes of previous customers.
Kevin received his PhD degree in inorganic chemistry from Utah State University in May 2021. The title to his dissertation is “Developing Advanced Electrodes and Electrolytes for Energy Storage Beyond Li Ion Batteries.” Kevin has extensive experience
in materials synthesis, spectroscopy, and electrochemistry.
He likes to read, travel, and spend time outdoors.
Jayleen is an HR Specialist for the BIC. She has worked in the Human Resources and Benefits field for over 20 years. Starting in the Human Resources field as a Payroll Specialist then moving into HR Management, enhancing her skills and gaining experience along the way.
David is a Test & Evaluation Engineer for the Battery Innovation Center. He graduated from Case Western Reserve University with a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering. At CWRU, David specialized in analog circuit design and assisted in research regarding hardware security for digital communications. He also briefly worked with MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) at Carnegie Mellon University.
David joined the BIC in July 2022, where he designs and implements tests for energy storage and power grid applications. His diverse background within electrical engineering lends itself to troubleshooting complicated problems and supporting on a variety of operations.
Joshua comes to the BIC with a broad skill set, 20+ years of Facilities Operations experience, and 4+ years of Solid-State Battery Research and Development experience.
Joshua is a local Indiana resident and was introduced to energy storage technologies while taking electronics classes through Vincennes University hosted by the BIC.
His personal time is spent enjoying family, friends, and hobbies which include amateur radio, astronomy, biking, camping, and fishing.
Being self-motivated and passionate, Phat truly believes that limits are destined to be broken. Making the earth go green completely is definitely an achievable goal. Therefore, he participated in a research group at New Mexico State University as a master’s student to not only substantiate his
knowledge in electrochemical science but also to join hands creating new materials to help attain a full use of eco-friendly energy.
Phat’s research was concentrated on constructing a 3D structure for supercapacitors’ material which allowed higher capacity and enhanced power density.
After graduating in 2022, Phat transitioned into the BIC to broaden reach. As an Advance Materials Manufacturing Engineer, Phat’s role is to do research with multiple R&D teams, which would not just limit contributions in a theoretical scope but now
is expandable to industrial applications.
Phat’s hobbies beside work are to read books, cooking, traveling, and playing board games.
Erika is a Data Programmer and provides IT support for the BIC. She graduated from Ball State University in 2023 with degrees in Applied Mathematics and Data Analytics. Erika is passionate about Big Data analytics and manipulation, and she continues to enhance her programming/analytical skills at the BIC.
