Duncan Smith

Duncan Smith has a diverse work experience in the fields of solar development, research, teaching, and internships.

In 2013, they worked as an intern at WoofTrax, Inc, where they formulated data reports and troubleshooting new versions of a dog-walking app.

In 2014, Duncan interned at Linwood Engineering Associates for a brief period.

Duncan joined Monolith Solar Associates, LLC in 2016 as a Solar Engineering Intern, where they generated production estimates for the company's solar fleet and learned about photovoltaic solar systems.

The same year, Duncan also started working at GE Solar as a Development Engineer, responsible for creating preliminary designs and renderings of rooftop, ground-mount, and canopy solutions, optimizing system production to align with customer needs and energy consumption. Duncan stayed with GE Solar until 2019.

Duncan joined the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 2017 as an Entrepreneurial Lead in NSF Innovation Corps, where they worked until the end of the year.

In 2016, Duncan began their doctoral studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. During their time there as a Doctoral Student, they also served as a Teaching Assistant for courses such as Thermal and Fluid Systems II and Engineering Graphics and CAD, assisting students in understanding complex engineering topics and solid modeling.

Duncan later became a Visiting Researcher at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2021, where they continued their research until 2022.

Duncan's most recent role is at Distributed Solar Development, LLC, where they work as a Salesforce Solutions Architect. Duncan'sresponsibilities include developing and maintaining the Salesforce infrastructure for a company with over 200 employees, driving continuous improvement across the organization.

Duncan Smith's education history begins with their enrollment at Ithaca High School from 2008 to 2012, where they did not pursue a specific degree or field of study. Following this, Duncan attended Union College from 2012 to 2016, earning a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Mechanical Engineering. Duncan then proceeded to pursue higher education at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where they completed a Master of Engineering (MEng) degree in Mechanical Engineering from 2016 to 2018. Subsequently, Duncan continued their academic journey at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, completing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Mechanical Engineering from 2016 to 2021.