Danila Valko

M.Sc. in Computer Science

^{danila.valko@proton.me}

Academic interests and expertise

Energy Informatics & Sustainability
Data Science for Sustainability
Green Computing & Green AI

Education

2018 M.Sc. in Computer Science (summa cum laude)

South Ural State University (National Research University), Russia
Supervisor: Mikhail Zymbler

2010 M.Sc. in Economics (summa cum laude)

South Ural Institute of Management and Economics, Russia
Supervisor: Irina Sergeicheva

Professional experience

2023.10 – n.d. OFFIS - Institute for Information Technology, Carl von Ossietzky University, Germany

Researcher, Software Developer, Full-time
Energy Informatics, Smart grid co-simulation
Integration of carbon intensity signals

2023.08 – 2023.10 choyze (GmbH), Germany

Data Research Analyst, Part-time
Data Analysis, Machine Learning
Modeling and analysis of sustainablity preferences

2022.09 – 2023.10 L3S Research Center, Leibniz University Hannover, Germany

Visiting Researcher, Full-time
AI & Deep Reinforcement Learning, Green Computing

2021.07 – 2022.09 Center for Advanced Governance (NGO), Russia

Data Scientist, Data Engineer, Part-time
Research & Data Analysis
Data Mining & ETL optimization (Python/PostgreSQL, ETL/ELT, Apache Airflow)

2014.09 – 2022.08 The South Ural University of Technology, Russia

Senior Researcher, Associate Professor, Full-time
Quantitative Analysis, Econometrics (ANOVA, SEM, ATET, PSM, CS-ADRL)
Teaching IT, B.Sc./M.Sc. Thesis Supervision

2010.05 – 2013.05 Mechel Foundation (NGO), Russia

Technician, Part-time
IT-infrastructure maintenance

Courses (taken recently)

2022 Data Science Summer School / Hertie School
2021 Quantitative Methods / University of Amsterdam | Coursera
2021 Machine Learning and Computer Vision / IT Korpus
2021 Introduction to Data Analysis in Python / Center for Advanced Governance
2020 Data Science, 10 courses Specialization / John Hopkins University | Coursera
2020 Data Analysis, 4 courses Specialization / Novosibirsk State University | Coursera
2020 Machine Learning and IT Project Management for Educators / Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
2020 IT Infrastructure and Artificial Intelligence / Tomsk State University
2020 Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Machine Learning / Tomsk State University

Publications (selected)

Valko, D., & Kudenko, D. (2025). Hybrid pathfinding optimization for the lightning network with reinforcement learning. Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engappai.2025.110225
Valko, D., & Kudenko, D. (2025). Increasing energy efficiency of bitcoin infrastructure with reinforcement learning and one-shot path planning for the lightning network. Neural Computing and Applications, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00521-024-10588-2
Valko, D., Alsharif, S., & Rosinger, S. (2025). Mix matters: Technical evaluation of a carbon-aware power plant operation strategy for an industrial area in Bremen. In Proc. of the European Simulation and Modelling Conference 2025 (ESM 2025), Ghent, Belgium, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17443836
Alsharif, S., Valko, D., & Veith, E. M. S. P. (2025). Dynamic optimization-based method for determining the flexibility potential at vertical system interconnections. In Proc. of 28th International Conference and Exhibition on Electricity Distribution (CIRED 2025), Geneva, Switzerland, https://doi.org/10.1049/icp.2025.1795
Alsharif, S., Valko, D., Wibbeke, J., & Lehnhoff, S. (2025). Co-simulation and MAS approach for assessment of large-scale electrolysers potential in flexibility markets. In Proc. of 2025 IEEE Kiel PowerTech Conference, Kiel, Germany, https://doi.org/10.1109/PowerTech59965.2025.11180369
Valko, D., & Kudenko, D. (2024). Reducing CO₂ emissions in a peer-to-peer distributed payment network: Does geography matter in the lightning network? Computer Networks, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comnet.2024.110297
Valko, D., Alsharif, S., & Tolk, D. (2024). An open-source carbon emissions simulator for smart grid co-simulation scenarios. In Proc. of the European Simulation and Modelling Conference 2024 (ESM 2024), San Sebastian, Spain, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13984401
Valko, D., Alsharif, S., Tolk, D., & Grimm, T. (2024). MASSCA: Scalable multi-agent system framework for smart power cell co-simulation. In Proc. of the European Simulation and Modelling Conference 2024 (ESM 2024), San Sebastian, Spain, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14004357

Prepared datasets and data papers (recent)

Valko, D., & Marx Gómez, J. (2025). Geolocated lightning network topology snapshots: A dataset covering 2019–2023. Harvard Dataverse, https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/2OAVO6
Petersen, K., Valko, D., & Tolk, D. (2025). hyBit open data collection. Zenodo, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15052032

Preprints (recent)

Valko, D., Paranjpe, R., & Marx Gómez, J. (2025). Outperforming Dijkstra on sparse graphs: The lightning network use case. arXiv, https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2509.13448
Valko, D., & Marx Gómez, J. (2025). Recent advances in global payment channel networks: A systematic literature review. Research Square, https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7705514/v1
Valko, D. (2025). When FAIR isn’t enough: Towards sustainable research data and software. SSRN, https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5546379

Patents

Valko, D., & Muhina, Yu. (2020). Web application "Science Festival of the South Ural University of Technology" / Reg. No. RU2020616358.
Valko, D., & Zymbler, M. (2018). Decision support system for scientific research management based on intelligent analysis of scientometric data / Reg. No. RU2018613068.
Valko, D., & Koltashov, A. (2016). Module for data mining and scientometric aggregation from open data services / Reg. No. RU2016619028.
Valko, D., & Moskvina, V. (2015). Computation software for steel rolling calibration systems / Reg. No. RU2015618937.

Other professional skills

Language skills: Russian (native), English (advanced), German (advanced)
Software Development skills: Python, C#, Java, HTML/CSS/JS, QA:SpecFlow/Playwright
ML & Data Science skills: Data Mining and Machine Learning in Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, OpenCV