Nico Galarza
Albuquerque,NM
Summary
Developed strong organizational and communication skills in collaborative and fast-paced environment. Proven ability to manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and contribute to team objectives. Seeking to transition into new field, utilizing transferrable skills to drive success in diverse professional settings.
Overview
3
3
years of professional experience
Work History
Graduate Year-long Intern | Rural & Agricultural Income & Savings From Renewable Energy (RAISE) Initiative
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL)
09.2023 - Current
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Energy (DOE) initiative to help rural small businesses and farmers cut costs and increase income using small-scale renewable energy systems such as on-site distributed-wind turbines.
- Conducted detailed analysis of stakeholder electrical load characteristics across various agricultural sectors in order to model representative load profiles for different farm types in the U.S. to guide renewable integration.
Graduate Year-long Intern | Airborne Wind Energy System Research and Testing Consortium (AWESTRC)
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL)
06.2024 - 09.2026
- Research focused on Airborne Wind Energy Systems (AWES), an emerging renewable technology. The project evaluates the potential benefits of deploying AWES for rural and high-risk regions such as Puerto Rico.
- Led the design and simulation of microgrid configurations by utilizing the microgrid design toolkit (MDT). Conducted comprehensive wind resource assessments to pinpoint optimal deployment locations throughout Puerto Rico. Developed in-depth case studies for a representative rural community in Culebra Island, addressing real design-basis threats (DBTs) including hurricanes and extended grid outages. Analyzed system performance against proposed DBTs to drive improvements in energy availability and reliability for isolated communities.
- Recognized with a spot award for exemplary leadership in airborne power generation initiatives.
Consortium of Hybrid Resilient Energy Systems (CHRES)
University Ana G. Mendez (UAGM)
04.2023 - 03.2024
- Conducted research project analyzing feasibility of residential rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems for energy demand support in Puerto Rico.
- Conducted a detailed calculations and studies of roof sizes for various residential buildings in a rural Community (Cayey, P.R.), categorizing them into zones to determine the available space for the installation of photovoltaic panels using NREL’s PVWatts.
Consortium of Hybrid Resilient Energy Systems (CHRES)
University of New Mexico (UNM)
06.2023 - 09.2023
- Research project focused on piezoelectric energy harvesters, emphasizing on enhancing the operational bandwidth of the devices for broad-band energy harvesting applications using attachable 3D printed proof-masses.
- Developed various 3D printed proof-masses and conducted vibration tests across varying excitation frequencies and acceleration levels to characterize changes in the devices output voltage and bandwidth.
Education
M.S. Electrical Engineering - Power Systems
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM05-2026
Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering - undefined
University Ana G. Mendez
Gurabo, PR05-2024
Technical Degree Journeyman Electrician - undefined
Technical School for Electricians
Fajardo, PR05-2018
Skills
- Proficient in Matlab Simscape/Simulink for data analysis
- Experience with Microgrid Design Toolkit (MDT)
- Advanced Microsoft Office skills
- Fluent in Spanish and English
- Collaborative teamwork
- Quick learner
Timeline
Graduate Year-long Intern | Airborne Wind Energy System Research and Testing Consortium (AWESTRC)
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL)
06.2024 - 09.2026
Graduate Year-long Intern | Rural & Agricultural Income & Savings From Renewable Energy (RAISE) Initiative
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL)
09.2023 - Current
Consortium of Hybrid Resilient Energy Systems (CHRES)
University of New Mexico (UNM)
06.2023 - 09.2023
Consortium of Hybrid Resilient Energy Systems (CHRES)
University Ana G. Mendez (UAGM)
04.2023 - 03.2024
Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering - undefined
University Ana G. Mendez
Technical Degree Journeyman Electrician - undefined
Technical School for Electricians
M.S. Electrical Engineering - Power Systems
University of New Mexico
PUBLICATIONS
- Incorporation of Airborne Wind Energy Systems to Enhance Resilience for a Microgrid in Rural Puerto Rico. Nico E. Galarza Morales, Jimmy E. Quiroz, Victor D. Garcia, Evan G. Sproul, Rachid Darbali-Zamora, Brent C. Houchens. Wind Energy Science Discussions (preprint, under review), 2025.
- Multiple Mass Repositioning System to Enhance Bandwidth of Piezoelectric Energy Harvester. Nico E. Galarza Morales, Nathan Jackson. PowerMEMS+ 2025 – Miniature Energy Systems Conference, Albuquerque, NM, 2025. Vol. 2025, IEEE, pp. 50-53; doi: 10.1109/PowerMEMS56515.2025.1138514.
- Study of Photovoltaic Array Implementation on Residential Roofs in Puerto Rico for Potential Electrical Grid Optimization. Marcos Boza-Vazquez, Alexis Carrero-Garcia, Geralds Del-Valle-Nieves, Nico E. Galarza Morales, et al. IEEE PES Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Latin America (ISGT-LA), Late-Breaking Papers, 2023. DOI: 10.1109/ISGT-LA56058.2023.10328259
PRESENTATIONS
- 2025
- Incorporation of Airborne Wind Energy Systems to Enhance Resiliency for a Microgrid in Rural Puerto Rico. NAWEA/WindTech 2025 Conference, Renaissance Hotel, Dallas, TX.
- Improving the Usable Frequency Range of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters. XV PREC Energy Symposium, Universidad Ana G. Méndez, Gurabo, Puerto Rico.
- Case Study of Incorporating Airborne Wind Energy Systems in a Microgrid in Rural Puerto Rico. Consortium of Hybrid Resilient Energy Systems (CHRES) Technical Forum, National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Morgantown, WV.
- 2024
- Airborne Wind Energy Systems Test Site Analysis and Design. Consortium of Hybrid Resilient Energy Systems (CHRES) Technical Forum, National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Morgantown, WV.
- 2023
- Study of Photovoltaic Array Implementation on Residential Roofs in Puerto Rico for Potential Electrical Grid Optimization. XIII PREC Energy Symposium (CHRES Project), Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort & Casino, San Juan, Puerto Rico.