About Us
SRP Thermal Mass Team
About Us
We are a group of seniors at Northern Arizona University (NAU) studying mechanical engineering. For our capstone design project, we are partnering with the Salt River Project (SRP) to develop a thermal mass for energy storage to be used in Maricopa county.
We are a group of driven students: Steven Galloway, Maciej Ziomber, Aaron Espinoza, Janelle Peña, and Courtney Hiatt. Scroll below to learn more about us!
Team Co Lead, Test Engineer, Web Developer
Courtney Hiatt
My name is Courtney Hiatt and I am the project manager, one of the test engineers, and a web developer for this project. I have my A.S. in chemistry and am receiving my B.S. in mechanical engineering because of my interest in material science research. Through this project, I have gained experience researching materials related to their latent and sensible heat properties. I have had the opportunity to work with coding an Arduino with thermal sensors. I hope to work long term in research and eventually receive my PhD.
Team Co Lead, Data Analyst
Janelle Peña
My name Janelle Peña, I’m studying Mechanical Engineering and Spanish. I am the co-Project Manager and Logistics Manager for this project. I am the main point of contact for internal and external communications. I have a passion for the energy industry, especially the renewable energy industry. I found this passion through internships with different power companies. This project with SRP has been a great learning experience for me to test my knowledge and experience in a guided manner. After I graduate in December of 2024, from NAU with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a B.A in Modern Language, I hope to find work in the renewable energy/power industry or system controls. I would love to use the skills I have learned in mechanical engineering and the international-cultural skills I have gained in different areas of the power industry.
CAD and Test Engineer
Aaron Espinoza
My name is Aaron Espinoza, I am one of CAD engineers and a co-manufacturing engineer in this project. I am receiving a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and over the years I have been looking for a way that I can make a change and the energy production field has stood out as our world revolves around it. My passion in material science, fluid mechanics and interest in energy production in this field has only grown working with Salt River Project. After graduating from Northern Arizona University my hope is to find a position in a company that specializes in producing and providing energy. The goal has always been to improve lives and to do it in the most efficient way possible and improving energy production and consumption may be the way.
Finacial Supervisor
Maciej Ziomber
Hello everyone, my name is Maciej Ziomber! I am the financial manager and test engineer for this project. I am interested in energy production using gas and steam turbines and in using renewable energy such as wind and solar energy. I also have experience as a data analyst. The SRP Capstone project is a great opportunity to increase my knowledge in the field of my interest and gain real-life hands-on experience. After graduating from Northern Arizona University with my master's degree in mechanical engineering I would like to pursue my career in either renewable energy or data analytics field.
CAD and Modeling Supervisor
Steven Galloway
I am Steven Galloway, the engineering model supervisor for the SRP District’s thermal mass project. I am an unconventional student, being 41 years old, but it has proven to be helpful to have many experiences that apply to these projects. I have a passion for engineering projects of all kinds but have a specific interest in robots and energy, especially when I can combine them into one project. I have worked in manufacturing, repair service, retail management, education, and information technology all my life. I am happily married and have 2 sons, 19 and 15 years old. I started back in education at Yavapai College, where I worked as a tutor and received an associate of science. At Yavapai, I achieved many certificates, including in additive manufacturing and CNC, and am one class away from the Integrated Systems Engineer Technician Certification. I have an Associate of Occupational Science in Electronics I received in 2001 and have an ISCET level 3 license. At Northern Arizona University, I plan to continue into a graduate program in mechanical engineering where I can study the intersection of robotics and energy.