About Us

At Barrow Green, our strength lies in the people driving our innovation. Our technical team brings together decades of expertise in mechanical engineering, thermal sciences, materials science, machine design, and product commercialization. Collectively, we have built spacecraft, combat vehicles, energy systems, and consumer products—and now we are channeling that knowledge into revolutionizing thermal management through elastocaloric cooling.

Dan Levick – Engineering Director & Principal Investigator
Dan leads the engineering team with more than a decade of experience designing rugged, reliable electronics and machinery systems. His background spans engineering analysis, requirements development, and advanced thermal/structural simulations. Dan holds a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Virginia, giving him both academic rigor and practical product-development experience.

Stefan Ioana – Chief Engineer, Machine Design
Stefan brings over 35 years of R&D leadership across clean energy, defense, and aerospace—including contributions to hydrogen-powered gensets, NASA spacecraft, and the U.S. Marine Corps’ Amphibious Combat Vehicle. He is an inventor on multiple patents related to energy conversion, heat recovery, and thermal systems. Stefan earned his Master’s in Mechanics and Automation from Transylvania University in 1990.

Frankie Pereda – Mechanical Engineer, Mechatronics
With a career spanning space systems and thermal innovation, Frankie has worked on projects ranging from 18-meter parabolic antennas to benchtop elastocaloric heat pumps. His expertise lies in integrating electromechanical systems and validating their performance through rigorous testing. Frankie holds a Master’s in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Washington University and a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Miami.

Adrianna Johnson – Mechanical Engineer, Product Design
Adrianna specializes in product design and design-for-manufacturing. She previously helped bring dozens of consumer power tools from concept to market, sharpening her ability to translate engineering ideas into reliable, user-ready products. A graduate of Vanderbilt University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Adrianna joined Barrow Green in 2024 to help commercialize elastocaloric cooling.

Dr. Darin Sharar – Consultant
A co-inventor of elastocaloric technology, Dr. Sharar is a renowned mechanical engineer and material scientist with expertise in thermal management and phase-change heat transfer. Formerly a senior scientist at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL), he now advises Barrow Green while also co-founding TauMat, LLC. He holds a Ph.D., M.A., and B.A. in Mechanical Engineering (Thermal Sciences) from the University of Maryland.

Dr. Brendan Hanrahan – ARL Scientist & CRADA Partner
Barrow Green’s Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with ARL enables us to work directly with Dr. Hanrahan, another co-inventor of elastocaloric cooling. Dr. Hanrahan is a mechanical engineer and material scientist specializing in thermal management materials and energy conversion. He holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Maryland, and a B.S. in Ceramic and Materials Engineering from Clemson University.