Staff – U-M Battery Lab

Technical Staff

Greg Less

Director

Greg Less is Director of the U-M Battery Lab, responsible for the day-to-day operations of the facility. Greg received a doctorate in Chemistry from U-M. Prior to founding the Battery Lab, he was a UM research scientist and worked at battery companies T/J Technologies and A123 Systems.

Contact: gless@umich.edu, 734-764-2794

Art Sinclair

Battery Lab Engineer

Art is primarily responsible for the maintenance and training of users on characterization equipment. Prior to joining the Battery Lab, Art worked for over 20 years in manufacturing and R&D at BASF and at the Pall Corporation/Gelman Sciences.

Contact: artsincl@umich.edu

Joe Gallegos

Battery Cell Test, Cycling and Data Science Engineer

Joe is responsible for maintenance and training for the R&D line. He received his doctorate in Chemistry from the University of Michigan. Prior to joining the Battery Lab, Joe worked at Inmatech and as a Navy contractor doing R&D on supercapacitors.

Contact: jgallego@umich.edu

Dan Kedroske

Battery Welding Engineer

Dan is responsible for module and pack welding. He received a bachelor’s degree in welding and fabrication engineering from Pennsylvania College of Technology. He brings a decade of experience, having held welding engineering positions at Westinghouse Corp., Vogtle nuclear units 3 and 4, Kirchhoff Automotive, and Flexible Metal Inc. He was also the SkillsUSA welding and fabrication contest collegiate state champion and collegiate national runner-up.

Contact: dkedro@umich.edu

Jason Jeppesen

Battery Lab Engineer

With over a decade of experience in team leadership, customer service, and process improvement, Jason specializes in optimizing workflows, mentoring teams, and enhancing client experiences. He is skilled in data-driven decision-making and cultivating a culture of excellence.
Jason is enthusiastic about contributing to the UM Battery Lab and Electric Vehicle Center (EVC), leveraging his expertise to support innovative research and advance sustainable energy solutions.

Contact: jeppesen@umich.edu

Laura Sonnenberg

Battery Lab Engineer

Laura Sonnenberg received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Temple University with a focus in solid-state electrolyte research for lithium-ion batteries. Laura is an Engineer at the UM Battery Lab and is excited to leverage her skills to advance the work done at the Battery Lab and the Electric Vehicle Center here at U of M.

Contact: lsonnen@umich.edu

Suk Jung Woo

Battery Lab Engineer

Suk Jung brings experience in battery manufacturing, quality assurance, and research support, with a focus on cell development and process improvement. She combines her technical knowledge and hands-on experience to advance battery research. She is enthusiastic about collaborating with research users and contributing to battery research at the U-M Battery Lab.

Contact: sjwoo@umich.edu

Kyle Baustert

Battery Lab Engineer

Kyle is responsible for supporting users on the pilot production lines at the Ellsworth location. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Kentucky. Prior to joining the Battery Lab, Kyle worked at General Motors on a DOE Battery500 program focused on lithium-sulfur cathode materials.

Contact: kbaus@umich.edu

Administrative Staff

Shelly Christian-Sherman

Research Administration Senior Manager

Shelly Christian-Sherman serves as Research Administration Senior Manager for the EV Center and Battery Lab. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from Cleary University.

Contact: sacs@umich.edu

Barb Hibbard

Research Administrator

Supporting the EV Center and Battery Lab research enterprise, Barb manages sponsored pre- and post-award activity, the Battery Lab’s monthly recharge billing, and Center-wide accounting and financial reporting. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business Management from Cleary University.

Contact: barbhibb@umich.edu

Theresa Russ

Administrative Assistant, Sr.

Theresa supports the Battery Lab and EV Center by assisting in daily operations, customer onboarding and other administrative functions. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Eastern Michigan University.

Contact: truss@umich.edu