Mirko Ballarini

Manager of the optical department and activities

OPTICAL MANAGER - Varroc Lighting - Cambiano (TO), Italy

(2024)

Manager of the optical department and activities

SENIOR OPTICAL ENGINEER - Varroc Lighting - Cambiano (TO), Italy

(2022 - 2024)

Coordinator of the optical activities within the optical department.

• Planning and supervision of team’s workload and activities; produtct development of optical functions such as Low- and High-Beam and all signaling devices; laboratory measurements and tests in photometrical tunnel; RFQs; innovation strategies and proto’s; simulations and technical design reviews.

FOUNDER - LUCEAT di Mirko Ballarini - Torino, Italy

(2021)

Self-employed consultant in the field of automotive and civil lighting. Main tasks are evaluation of head lamp and rear lamp projects in the early phase of pre-feasibility as well as steering the development of lighting functions such as Low-Beam, High Beam, DRL Turn Indicator, Reverse, Fog, Stop and Tail Lamps. Photometrical and luminance analysis against legal requirements.

OPTICAL ENGINEER - ITALDESIGN GIUGIARO - Moncalieri (TO), Italy

(2018 - 2021)

Optical pre-feasibility, design and simulations of headlamp and rear lamp functions of limited and ultra-limited vehicles. Collaboration with style department to produce physically-correct aesthetical renderings, combining simulation and rendering software capabilities. Investigation and characterization of novel-material properties (BSDF, BRDF, BTDF) with measuring systems in order to produce suitable files to be included in simulations.

Other activities include the development of innovative concepts for show cars and patents, miniaturization of optical systems for lighting and ground projections, mid- and long-term innovative projects for novel company business.

OPTICAL ENGINEER - AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTING - Venaria (TO), Italy

(2015 - 2018)

Optical design and simulation of main and signaling functions, from feasibility to development. Management of the optical aspect of the project, discussion with customers through meetings, calls and technical presentations. Problem solving and study of innovative optical solutions to meet customer needs and legal requirements. Typical customers: FCA, PSA.

OPTICAL ENGINEER - OLSA - Rivoli (TO), Italy

(2012 - 2015)

Design and lighting simulations of rear lamps from feasibility study to development of all the functions (Stop, Tail, Turn Indicator, Reverse, Fog, CHMSL, SM). Laboratory check of mock-up lamps for performance testing against regulations by means of a photogoniometer. Other activities involve the standardization of optical elements to be used in optical simulations and improvement of the photometrical lab and tools.

Typical customers: BMW, VW, FCA, Porsche, Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Audi, Skoda, Renault.

POST-DOC IN APPLIED PHYSICS - POLITECNICO DI TORINO - (TO), Italy

(2008 - 2012)

Design Project on a four-year basis, joint collaboration with the Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (IRCC, Torino, Italy). The latest findings in the field of nano-optics are employed for the biological targeting, sensing and imaging of tumor cells. Spectroscopic techniques (fluorescence and Raman) as well as imaging techniques (AFM, SNOM) are used for the analysis and characterization of a variety of biological samples.

POST-DOC IN APPLIED PHYSICS - TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF DELFT - NL

(2005 - 2008)

A two-year post-doc position, funded by the winning prize of two awards for my proposals, focused on the development and the implementation of a new alternative method for production and detection of security documents. The method is based on the inclusion of nanoparticles in a matrix (host) detectable by means of photoacustic spectroscopy (PAS).

PHD IN APPLIED PHYSICS - TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF DELFT - NL

(2001 - 2005)

A four-year research that resulted in the development of a new protocol used for optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of individual grains of quartz. In the thesis are described the innovations that made the OSL technique suitable and reliable for measuring extremely young quartz sediments (10 to 300 years old).

MASTER OF SCIENCE - PHYSICS - UNIVERSITA’ DEGLI STUDI DI TORINO (1993 - 2001)