5 Minutes With Michelle

Our 5 Minutes With series is back! This time we’re sitting down with Michelle, our Junior Data Scientist who fuels her days with milk tea and ML models ☕🤖👇

🔹 What’s your role at OptiGrid and what does a typical day look like for you?
I am a Junior Data Scientist at OptiGrid. A typical day starts with a cup of milk tea that sees me through the day as I inspect code, analyse data and test ML models.

🔹 What excites you most about working on developing new forecast models?
I have always been passionate about using AI to predict future prices. I love the exhilaration when, after so many attempts, a forecast model finally returns highly accurate results. The thrill of predicting the unknowns has always driven me to do research and develop better models.

🔹 What’s your most memorable moment having worked with the OptiGrid team so far?
My most mesmerising and unforgettable memory with the OptiGrid team was our Secret Santa celebration at Christmas in 2025. I had never had so much fun nor felt so much warmth at work. All of us gathered together like a true family, and we sent wishes and gifts to each other.

🔹 In your opinion, how is technology shaping the future of battery optimisation?
Technology will be one of the most crucial pillars in battery optimisation and AI is expected to support battery operators in many ways. However, to reach its true potential, a human has to be the bridge between AI and the electricity market, combining both their AI skills and battery electricity expertise. I am very excited to be contributing to this vision, to use AI in ways that directly improve the performance of batteries and to deliver results in the Australian electricity market.

🔹 What do you love doing when you are not at work and thinking about batteries or the NEM?
I am still completing my Computer Science undergraduate program at the University of Adelaide. When I am not at work, uni or thinking about the NEM, you will find me swimming, cooking, reading novels and playing the guitar and piano.