After receiving a Ph D from Rensselaer in 1972, David did two years of post- doctoral work in the Chemistry Department working on amelioration of spills of oils and hazardous chemicals in water environments, research sponsored by the US Coast Guard. As a Research Associate he studied solar concentrators and high flux solar receivers, doing work sponsored by the then federal Energy and Research Development Agency, ERDA (now the Department of Energy, DOE) and the New York State ERDA, NYSERDA.
In order to continue solar research, David and several other people at Rensselaer founded Power Kinetics, Inc. As Vice President of Research at PKI David designed the optics and controls for the series of square-dish concentrators PKI has installed in systems for steam heat, steam curing of concrete blocks, sea water desalination, and electricity production. He was program manager for energy conservation controls research sponsored by NYSERDA. Travel for the company has taken him to Australia and New Zealand and twice to both Saudi Arabia and China.
In order to commercialize solar energy, David founded Sustainable Energy Systems, Inc. in early 1993. The company can bring solar technologies to appropriate markets around the world. Sustainable Energy Systems will help design, develop and install solar thermal power plants. The company goal is to participate in a quad (10^15 BTU) of renewable energy by the year 2005 (equivalent to 150 large fossil fuel plants).
Since December of 1995, David has been working in India with local industries to develop solar power technologies. Participating with SuryaShakti Solar Technologies, Pvt. Ltd. of Mumbai and Solar Age Technologies of Babylon, NY has led to international cooperation for solar energy industries.
David is also an Adjunct Professor at Rensselaer where he teaches "Solar Devices and Energy" in the Department of Mechanical, aeronautical, and Nuclear Engineering . Other interests include: Board, Rensselaer County Environmental Action; Speakers Bureau, Union of Concerned Scientists; Global Environment Committee, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Northeast New York; and President, Back Log Camp, Inc.
The Bortons live in a passive solar, energy conserving house which performs well even in the upstate New York climate.