Faculty Profile

Michael Siminovitch
Professor of Design
Rosenfeld Chair in Energy Efficiency and Director of CLTC

Ph.D. Architecture and Human Factors Engineering, University of MichiganM.F.A. Industrial Design University of Illinois, Champaign UrbanaM. Arch. University of Illinois, Champaign UrbanaB.S. Faculty of Engineering, Carleton University

Background

Professor Michael Siminovitch is the director of the California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC) and associate director of the Energy Efficiency Center at UC Davis. He established CLTC to support collaborative efforts among representatives from private industry, public agencies and utilities. CLTC projects accelerate the development and commercialization of energy-efficient lighting technologies for both residential and commercial applications.

Publications and Work

He was a co-author of the original California Advanced Lighting Controls Training Program (CALCTP) and now serves on its board of directors.

In 2010, Professor Siminovitch established the UC Davis Smart Lighting Initiative, a campus-wide effort to reduce lighting energy use 60% below 2007 levels. The initiative is one of the largest lighting retrofit projects in California and serves as a model for the UC and CSU systems. In 2014, Siminovitch was selected by UC President Janet Napolitano to serve as an inaugural member of the University of California Global Climate Leadership Council.

Professor Siminovitch participated on the leadership team for California’s Strategic Lighting Plan and helped lead efforts to improve the 2013 Title 24, Part 6 standards for exterior lighting.

Awards

  • Appointed to UCOP Carbon Neutrality Council
  • Taylor Technical Talent award for Research, Illuminating Engineering Society
  • Distinguished Visiting Professor, KMUTT School of Architecture Thailand
  • Energy 100 Award, US Department of Energy
  • Grand Prize, Best of What’s New Award – Home Technologies Popular Science
  • Federal Laboratory Consortium Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer
  • Outstanding Performance Award- Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
  • Committee First Prize Paper Award IEEE
  • Society Prize Paper Award IEEE
  • Engineer of the Year Award Association of Energy Engineers
  • Outstanding Mentor Award DOE Office of Science Undergraduate Student Program

Teaching

Professor Siminovitch teaches undergraduate classes in lighting technology and design at UC Davis. His Designing with Light course culminates in an industry-sponsored LED luminaire design competition.

633 Pena Drive, Davis, CA 95618
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(530) 747-3835
mjsiminovitch[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]ucdavis.edu
Announcement

Grant Awarded for Researching Effects of Discrete Color in Light
California Lighting Technology Center

Jae Yong Suk Michael Siminovitch

Professors Jae Yong Suk and Michael Siminovitch—through the California Lighting Technology Center and the Center for Mind and Brain at UC Davis have—received $200k jointly from Toyota Boshoku America and Seoul Semiconductor to investigate the potential mitigating effects of discrete color in light on human mood and stress. The research is now in its second phase.

Announcement

Research Grant Awarded for Full-Spectrum LEDs
California Lighting Technology Center

Jae Yong Suk Michael Siminovitch

Professors Jae Yong Suk and Michael Siminovitch at the California Lighting Technology Center received $100K in funding from Seoul Semiconductor—one of the largest LED manufacturers in the world—to support the research of full-spectrum LEDs for human-centric lighting. Full-spectrum LEDs provide a visible light spectrum similar to natural light. The research investigates the potential benefits of superior color rendition quality in full-spectrum LEDs.

Announcement

California Lighting Technology Center Receives Grant

Michael Siminovitch Jae Yong Suk

The California Lighting Technology Center at UC Davis has received a new grant to establish “The Color Lab” in collaboration with the Center for Mind and Brain. The project’s goal is to explore the impact of discrete color spectra on stress, mind, and alertness.

Photo Gallery

DES136B (Winter 2016) Final Projects
Lighting Design class

Michael Siminovitch

These are some of the student final projects from Professor Michael Siminovitch’s DES 136B Winter 2016 class. 

Overview

California Lighting Technology Center

Michael Siminovitch Konstantinos Papamichael

The California Lighting Technology Center’s (CLTC) mission is to stimulate, facilitate, and accelerate the development and commercialization of energy-efficient lighting and daylighting technologies. CLTC accomplishes these goals through technology development, demonstrations, and outreach and education activities in partnership with utilities, lighting manufacturers, end users, builders, designers, researchers, academics, and government agencies.

Professors Michael Siminovitch and Kosta Papamichael, Design Department faculty, are the directors of the Lighting Center. 

633 Pena Drive
Davis, CA 95618
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(530) 747-3838

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