This month’s Employee Spotlight is…
Allora Novak – Energy Engineering Software Developer
1. Where did you grow up? Where do you reside now?
I grew up in a small town in Florida. I went to college in Tampa at the University of South Florida and later moved closer to the beaches. Currently I reside in Saint Petersburg and am pursuing a master’s in Mathematics at the University of West FL.
2. What did you want to be when you grew up (when you were a child)?
Allora at Skipton castle in Yorkshire England
As a child, I always dreamt of becoming an astronaut. My room was filled with stars and spaceships, fueling my imagination and passion for space. Later, I minored in Astronomy at USF and was fortunate enough to intern with NASA, where I had the incredible opportunity to work on the Artemis mission.
3. What guided you into the energy efficiency industry?
During my undergraduate studies, I developed an interest in energy conservation. This led me to work with a clean energy company called Latitude Compliance, where I had the opportunity to present my research on the benefits of nuclear energy.
4. What does a day in Allora’s life at PSD look like?
I use programming languages like Python and Ruby to create code structures that simulate building energy analysis. My work forms the foundation for the data analysis frameworks that PSD utilizes to develop innovative building performance solutions.
5. Our company has five core values (Integrity, Passion, Collaboration, Vision, and Making an Impact). Which of these values resonates most with you and the work you do at PSD?
Collaboration resonates with me the most. I work closely with a tight-knit group of five engineers in my department. Together, we constantly improve code structures and collaborate on solutions to ensure everything runs smoothly.
6. What is your favorite PSD-related memory?
One of my favorite PSD-related memories is attending the PSD conference. It was a fantastic experience meeting everyone in person and appreciating the beauty of Ithaca.
7. What do you do when you aren’t at work? Do you have any interesting hobbies?
I love to travel (the attached photo is me at Skipton Castle in Yorkshire, England), I play piano and guitar, I like woodworking and furniture making, I love reading and I am in my local chess club.
8. Do you have any pets?
Yes. I have a PomChi named Oliver and two cats named Bee and YoungBlood.
9. What is your favorite holiday?
Halloween. Very into spooky stuff.
10. Favorite travel destination? Or dream travel destination?
So far, my favorite place is Paris, but I am going to Tokyo for the first time in October so we will see!
11. Favorite musician/genre?
My favorite musician is Lana Del Rey or Mitski at the moment. I really like alternative indie music and I usually gravitate towards female lead vocals with an ethereal vibe.
12. What’s the top item that is still on your bucket list? Have you checked anything cool or fun off?
Visiting Japan is up there, so I’m excited to do that. Another ‘bucket list’ item would be to get my PHD one day.
13. What is an interesting thing about yourself that not a lot of people know?
Most people do not know that I host a mathematics podcast with my brother, who is a CAD engineer. I am also super obsessed with Studio Ghibli films.
Thank you, Allora! We appreciate you taking the time to do this and are excited to have people get to know a little more about our employees here at PSD.
