UH Energy

Student Spotlight: Kristi Duong

By Binita Roy

October 15, 2026 —

Kristi (Thanh) Duong is a master’s candidate in engineering data science and artificial intelligence at the University of Houston and a graduate research assistant in the Smart and ZerO-Emission Energy Analytics and Research (SOAR) Lab. She has a background in industrial engineering and professional experience in manufacturing and operations at SLB. At UH Duong is applying data science and optimization techniques to address challenges in energy management and grid reliability. 

Kristi Duong_headshot

Kristi’s research focuses on Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), which coordinate distributed energy resources to improve how electricity is managed and used. By combining machine learning with mathematical optimization, Duong is developing solutions that reduce energy costs, increase grid flexibility and strengthen resilience for public facilities.

Duong is also the co-founder of FlexHive Energy, an early-stage climate technology startup developing cloud-based software to intelligently coordinate distributed energy resources. Her entrepreneurial work shows her interest in translating technical research into practical solutions for the energy sector.

Duong’s work has earned recognition in two energy innovation competitions. She won first place at the 2025 Houston Energy & Climate Tech Hackathon and was a finalist in the 2026 Chevron Innovation Competition at the University.

Kristi has a passion for bringing people together to solve complex problems. Driven by this, she is focused on advancing technology-driven solutions at the intersection of energy, analytics and innovation.

 

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