DESERT SABER - Key Persons
Mark Baker co-founded Modular Mining Systems, Inc., the first and largest mining systems optimization hardware and software company, now owned by Komatsu Ltd. Baker has expertise in mining technology and operations across the entire value stream, including people, process, and technology issues. He is a serial entrepreneur who has started or advised several start-up companies since retiring from Modular Mining Systems, Baker serves as a Director and Board Member for Desert Saber.
Baker is also active within academia and has strong interest in the technology transfer process. He is a Commercialization Partner and an advisor to the University of Arizona's TechLaunch Arizona organization, a member of the Industry Leadership Board for the University's Dept. of Mining and Geological Engineering and a director of the Lowell Institute of Mineral Resources. Baker holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Arizona.
Mary Poulton serves as Chief Executive Officer for Desert Saber. She was a University Distinguished Professor in Geosciences, Mining Engineering, Law, and Public Health until her retirement from the University of Arizona in May, 2017. She was the first woman to lead an engineering department in the history of the University of Arizona, serving from 2000 to 2014. She founded and directed the interdisciplinary Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources (IMR), the largest interdisciplinary research center for mineral resources in the US, and now serves as co-chairman of the board of directors. She has also co-founded or advised 6 start-up companies and serves as an expert consultant to NIOSH.
Poulton founded and supervised the NIOSH-funded Western Mine Safety and Health Training Resource Center from 2010 through 2017. Over the past 30 years, Poulton's research in machine learning and artificial intelligence has yielded numerous publications, including a book, more than 90 articles, a US patent, and substantial innovations in the mining, oil and gas, and water industries. Dr. Poulton holds BS, MS, and PhD degrees in Geological Engineering from the University of Arizona and also attended Western Illinois University.
Job Titles:
- Chief Technical Officer
- Software Engineer
Michael Peltier is a software engineer with over 30 years of experience in graphical user interfaces, animation techniques, and special effects. His works have been featured in film and television, including Honey I Shrunk the Kids and Alley McBeal. As Director of Engineering for Desert Saber, Peltier's professional interests lie at the confluence of edutainment, embedded systems, and high-performance computing. He has made substantial contributions to the code base and technical design of the Dynamic Safety® platform. He is also skilled in fault testing and co-founded a data recovery company.
Peltier is a veteran of the US Air Force and has worked for numerous defense contractors, including Boeing Military Aircraft, Garrett Pneumatic Systems Division, Sikorsky Aircraft, Sperry Defense Product Group, and Dreimind Corp. He is a published author, with works that include more than a dozen technical manuals and a series of science fiction novels. Peltier currently serves as the senior applications developer at the Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources (IMR) at the University of Arizona.