Meet the Team

Alexis Badder

Senior Director of Sensor Sales and Marketing

Alexis is the Senior Director of Sales and Marketing at Aeris Technologies, where she leads the global sales organization. With over 10 years of experience providing complex spectroscopy solutions for a variety of academic and industrial customers, Alexis combines her deep technological understanding of spectroscopy and her passion for environmental science to help drive customer success.

Before joining Aeris, Alexis received her PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of New Hampshire and went on to a post-doc at NOAA in Boulder, CO. From there, she worked at Droplet Measurement Technologies and HORIBA Instruments, forming strong client relationships across diverse industries. 

When not working, she enjoys running, hiking, going to concerts and camping with her two young children.

Urmila Bartaula

Senior Business Administration Manager

Urmila has been leading administrative and financial operations since 2021. Her role spans order processing, accounts receivable/payable management, and financial reporting analysis, ensuring accuracy and efficiency across all workflows.

With a strong foundation in Accounting and Human Resources from experience in biotech companies, she brings a unique blend of operational expertise and people-focused management. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Studies and an Accounting certification, which empower her to deliver strategic insights and maintain compliance in dynamic environments.

Outside of work, Urmila is passionate about reading, hiking, and gardening, which keeps her inspired and balanced.

Travis Carroll

Mechanical Engineer

Travis handles mechanical design of new projects, documents build procedures, and designs tools to aid manufacturing processes. He also helps with outsourcing, writing quality checklists, and first article inspections.

Travis graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. Aeris is where his engineering career began as a Junior Mechanical Engineer in 2023. He describes the challenges and solutions he has encountered at Aeris like a long capstone project with cool ideas being incorporated, constantly.

A self-described nerd, Travis likes Star Wars, videogames, and anime. Outside of entertainment, he loves 3D printing. As a kid that wanted all the action figures, he says that it's so cool to be able to have (or even design) all the ones he wants now.

Bak Chong

IoT Embedded Software Engineer

Bak Leng Chong designs networking and real-time features for next-generation spectroscopy analyzers. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma, and an M.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of South Florida. With over 20 years of experience designing embedded real-time and networking systems, Bak focuses on making Aeris’s sensors more configurable, robust, and reliable. Before joining Aeris Technologies, he developed low-power sensor firmware at Davis Instruments and contributed to high-tech companies including Cruise, Dell Technologies, Cisco, and Nortel Networks. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, golfing, and exploring local dining spots.

Eric Driscoll

Senior Scientist

Eric Driscoll is a physical chemist with a PhD from the University of Southern California. He has extensive experience in purchasing and troubleshooting analytical equipment, analyzing production data in the pharmaceutical industry, and integrating hardware and software into scientific instruments. His expertise includes femtosecond laser technology for time-resolved spectroscopy, as well as effectively communicating complex technical concepts to diverse audiences, including team members, stakeholders, and students. Outside of work, Eric enjoys photography, synth electronics, coding in C#, and cycling.

Education:
University of Southern California – PhD, Physical Chemistry
Commonwealth University-Lock Haven – BS, Chemistry (Nanotechnology Concentration), Mathematics Minor

Rob Giessman

Assembly Technician

Robert supports Test, R&D and Shipping/Receiving with a focus on production. With 5 years of experience in Manufacturing, he brings expertise in assembly, manufacturing design and to bring a consistent and reliable product.

Before joining Aeris, he worked at Intuitive Surgical, specializing in medical device manufacturing and learning how to analyze and improve assembly procedures.

Robert is passionate about understanding how and why things work. He loves using his skills and knowledge to develop and create the best product that he can.

When not working, he enjoys finding new recipes, diving into a new world through a good book and challenging himself with complex strategy games.

Christian Goueguel

Senior Scientist

Christian Goueguel is a laser spectroscopy scientist specializing in product and application development. With a PhD in Physics from INRS - Institut national de la recherche scientifique, he has played a key role in developing laser-based analytical instruments and chemometric modeling of spectral data. His work has contributed to the successful deployment of analytical instruments and monitoring systems across various industries. Christian is passionate about aligning technical expertise with customer needs to create impactful solutions.

Education:
INRS - Institut national de la recherche scientifique – PhD, Physics (Laser Spectroscopy)
Université Grenoble Alpes – MEng, Signal Processing

Nick Hernandez

Software Engineering Manager

Nicholas brings over a decade of experience in software development, automation, and hardware validation. He leads the software engineering team, driving innovation in environmental monitoring solutions. With a strong background in C++, Python, and LabVIEW, Nicholas has enhanced core spectrometer applications, improved system performance, and streamlined manufacturing processes. His expertise spans IoT integration, real-time data systems, and cross-functional collaboration, ensuring reliable, high-quality products that support the company’s mission for environmental transparency.

Hank Huang

Hardware Project Manager

Hank leads and drives R&D initiatives, keeping projects on track and laser focused on meaningful innovation. With a background in mechatronics engineering ,  he’s spent the past five years developing cutting-edge technology driven by a strong passion for environmental science and its real-world impact. He is a graduate of Rutgers University’s School of Engineering, where he built the technical foundation that continues to shape his approach to problem-solving and product development. What excites Hank most about his work is the opportunity to make the world better, one super-precise measurement at a time. Every improvement in accuracy or reliability contributes to a cleaner, more sustainable future, and that’s what keeps him motivated. Outside of work, Hank enjoys the  endless bug-clearing missions in the game Helldivers, and experimenting in the kitchen with cuisines from around the world.

Marvin Juarez

Optical Engineer

Marvin received his bachelor's degree in Physics from Cal Poly Pomona. He has over 3 years of hands-on experience working with the assembly of the optical core in the Aeris Technologies instruments which often requires detailed troubleshooting and precision work. Outside of work, Marvin likes to unwind by watching TV series and movies, following sports and spending time with family and friends.

Felix Logis

Support Engineer

Felix is focused on supporting both internal and external customers along with repairing, testing and integrating instruments, in addition to administering the company website. Felix holds dual bachelor’s degrees from The University of Texas at Austin majoring in Computer Science and Mathematics (Statistics). Outside of work, Felix enjoys travelling, spirited driving and attending live sporting events and concerts.

Fun fact: Felix is also the in-house DJ at Aeris HQ, it's where you'll hear his mix of playlists regularly.

Jennyfer Miranda

Test Engineer

Jenny focuses on testing, calibration and performance optimization of laser-based gas analyzers for methane and greenhouse gas detection. With a strong background in embedded systems and automation, she ensures product reliability, and supports new product development and improvements.

Before joining Aeris, Jenny worked at Ontex, where she contributed to engineering and project management initiatives focused in optimizing manufacturing processes and improving production efficiency. She also conducted research at the Universite de Technologie de Compiegne (UTC) in France, developing autonomous navigation systems for UAVs using machine learning and computer vision.​

Jenny is passionate about helping to create technology that drives positive environmental impact. ​Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, learning about finance, and keeping up with the latest films and series.

Katia Morales

Production Test Manager

Katia is a Mechatronics Engineer with experience working on research projects and in the software industry; skilled in design, programming, and testing. She has strong adaptability as well as planning and scheduling skills.

Katia is passionate about research and development, a lover of learning new things, and enjoys working in a multicultural team.

Kim Pham

Component Engineer & Arena Administrator

Kim Pham is an Arena Administrator and Component Engineer at Aeris Technologies, where he oversees the Arena PLM/PDM system and ensures accurate, efficient management of product lifecycle and documentation. With more than 25 years of experience in the electronics industry, Kim brings deep expertise in product management and engineering operations.

Before joining Aeris, Kim served as an Electrical Engineer at Proxim Wireless, specializing in power management for radios and antenna pattern design. His work contributed to achieving high-gain performance within compact antenna configurations used across the company’s radio products.

Kim is passionate about advancing environmental measurement technologies that support a cleaner, more sustainable planet. Outside of work, he enjoys gardening, a hobby that brings him balance and inspires creativity in his role at Aeris.

Mauricio Torres

Test Engineer

Mauricio brings strong expertise in embedded systems and testing for high-precision mid-infrared analyzers.

Before joining Aeris, he worked on computer vision and optical signal processing projects, developing algorithms and systems that strengthened his foundation in sensor technologies and data-driven engineering.

Mauricio is motivated by being part of a technology leader in portable, ultra-lightweight, and high-precision gas spectrometry devices, contributing directly to the performance and reliability of next-generation analytical tools.

When not working, he enjoys motorsports, photography, and outdoor activities.

Matt Williams

Customer Support Engineer Manager

Matthew leads the customer support department. With over five years of experience at Aeris, Matthew leverages his deep product knowledge to assist customers and industry partners in resolving complex challenges.

Prior to joining Aeris, Matthew earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California San Diego. His diverse professional background includes roles in various industries, from Autonomous Vehicles at Waymo to the Utilities sector with PG&E.

When not at work, he enjoys cycling, cooking, and reading.

Martin Yau

Director of Operations

Martin is an engineer with a demonstrated history of working in the scientific industry. He has been exposed to industry as well as research laboratory settings. He enjoys working with his hands and building a positive environment in the workplace. His constant desire to learn and apply his knowledge allows him to grow and prosper in any environment.

Martin graduated with a Bachelor of Science, focused in Chemistry from California State University-Long Beach. Then, he continued to pursue a Masters of Science in Materials Engineering from San Jose State University with a focus in solid-state electrolyte prediction using density functional theory.