The University of Pittsburgh Electric Power Engineering Program
THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
ELECTRIC POWER ENGINEERING PROGRAM
TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS FOR THE POWER & ENERGY SECTOR
We live in an age where each new day brings new innovations: changes in the way we travel, communicate, learn and do business. These innovations can and will profoundly change humanity. The challenges presented by this change offer tremendous opportunities for growth.
BUILDING THE CLEAN AND INTELLIGENT GRID OF THE FUTURE IS PARAMOUNT TO FACING THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD.
EACH NEW INNOVATION NEEDS ENERGY TO FULFILL ITS PROMISE.
We need new solutions, new advancements and new people to make them happen. But with an aging and retiring electric power engineering workforce, legacy infrastructures, and not enough trained and educated professionals, we are desperate for the next generation of engineers, scientists and designers in the power field.
That’s why we founded the University of Pittsburgh’s Electric Power Engineering Program as part of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department within the Swanson School of Engineering.
We’ve created a place that generates successful professionals able to build, innovate and operate new technologies in a diverse, ever-changing global environment. Our students are tasked with finding new ways to CONVERT, TRANSMIT and DELIVER electric power — the lifeblood of technology and innovation — through various means throughout the world.
For more than a decade, we’ve built a program that is so much more than classroom teaching. We’ve developed relationships with industry, business and government leaders to ensure that we are training and educating for their needs today — and in the future. We’re building new facilities that will not only educate students, but also allow for partners to leverage student skills and learning to advance our quest for new energy solutions.
With each relationship built, conference attended and new facility developed, we are bridging the gap on the talent deficit in electric power engineering. We know that by continuing to advance our work and our program, we can...
COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT AND BUILD A BRIGHTER TOMORROW FOR RELIABLE ELECTRICITY.
POWERING THE NATION
STARTS IN PITTSBURGH
The city of Pittsburgh is our nation’s true energy hub, where creative minds first came together to build electricity and move the nation — and the world — forward.
From Samuel Kier’s first kerosene refinery to Edwin Drake’s first commercial oil well just 80 miles north of Pittsburgh, our region has been at the center of a great deal of energy history.
That rich history grew even more in the late 19th century, when the country was looking to electricity to power its rapid growth. Great minds like Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla all were developing competing electric power transmission systems in what would become known as the “war of the currents.”
Tesla believed his alternating current (AC) was superior to Edison’s direct current (DC) as a power system. He came to Pittsburgh to partner with Westinghouse, and AC power took off, becoming the nation’s primary technological means of electricity delivery for more than a century.
All that history demands a stewardship to protect and enhance Pittsburgh’s place as an energy capital.
The University of Pittsburgh’s Electric Power Engineering Program proudly builds on the foundation laid by these great leaders and hopes to continue to inspire and empower the next generation.
“If someday they say of me that in my work I have contributed something to the welfare and happiness of my fellow man, I shall be satisfied.”
—George Westinghouse
“The scientific man does not aim at an immediate result. He does not expect that his advanced ideas will be readily taken up. His work is like that of the planter—for the future. His duty is to lay the foundation for those who are to come, and point the way.”
—Nikola Tesla
A DECADE OF FINANCIAL GROWTH POWERING UP
BUILDING THE POWER OF TOMORROW
Eaton // JANUARY 2009
Eaton Corporation’s Electrical Group was a natural early partner for the Pitt Power & Energy Initiative. In 2009, Eaton and Pitt established a long-term collaboration in electric power engineering. Eaton has a strong regional base and global presence, and there are numerous aspects of this internationally recognized collaborative partnership that are mutually beneficial to Eaton and Pitt, including:
• Establishment of the new Electric Power System Laboratory in Benedum Engineering Hall, showcasing Eaton equipment and technologies.
• Establishment of Eaton Graduate Fellowships for Swanson School M.S. and Ph.D. students conducting research in areas of mutual interest.
• Development and support of five new courses in the electric power engineering concentration’s curriculum.
• Development of global collaboration strategies and initiatives in power engineering among Eaton, Pitt and related international universities.
• Sponsorship of senior design projects in both electrical and mechanical engineering, including many conducted at Eaton’s world-class Power Systems Experience Center in Warrendale, Pennsylvania.
• Support of outreach and development on STEM activities, including joint endeavors with IEEE, DOE and other nonprofit industry and community organizations.
• Student recruitment for engineering co-op, internship and full-time positions.
• Sponsorship of the new Energy GRID Institute’s Electric Power Technologies Laboratory.
The Eaton-Pitt partnership has become a nationwide and globally recognized model for activities and outcomes related to industry-academic collaboration.
Eaton is dedicated to improving people’s lives and the environment with power management technologies that are more reliable, efficient, safe and sustainable. A power management company doing business in more than 175 countries, Eaton’s energy-efficient products and services help customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power more reliably, efficiently, safely and sustainably.
PA Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority
// JUNE 2009
While many of the energy challenges we face are national or global in scope, many of the viable solutions to address these challenges will undoubtedly stem from the particular strengths that various regions have. The Southwestern Pennsylvania region has played a unique role in the history of energy development and is poised to make a significant impact on future progress in this critical area.
This region is home to perhaps the most concentrated set of companies in all of North America engaged in the manufacturing of products and technologies, supply and service to the electric power and energy industries. Many of the energy companies here are growing and have increasing demand for technical workforce needs and research and development requirements. This concentration of corporations provides the region with a nationally unique geographic center for power and energy industry participants.
In 2009, the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority and the Pitt Electric Power Systems Laboratory (EPSL) partnered to leverage the energyrelated capabilities and programs established across
the engineering school to develop novel cross-cutting initiatives that significantly contribute to addressing technical challenges facing Southwestern Pennsylvania’s vibrant energy industry.
This partnership included the introduction of new undergraduate and graduate certificate and concentration programs in electric power engineering, mining engineering and nuclear engineering. It also led to research programs that tap into the expertise and capabilities of Pitt faculty and students to solve critical technological problems that these industries face.
One of the largest state technology development programs in the nation, the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority was established to promote an entrepreneurial business environment, advance technology innovation and create a technology-ready workforce, as well as to encourage and coordinate programs and investments that advance the competitiveness of Pennsylvania companies and universities in the global economy.
partnership extended to improve the controllability and reliability of the grid, while allowing real-time bidirectional information access from end users to producers to increase energy efficiency. The toolset developed through these efforts provides a way to support the evaluation of new reactor designs with enhanced load-following capability.
Initially, Pitt worked on the categorization of stochastic issues related to renewable power resources; identification of concepts and constraints for the integration of renewable energy resources; and the development of a novel control strategy approach—the Integrated Generation Model (IGM), based on linear programming techniques—to combine traditional, renewable and nuclear power generation resources under real-time conditions. The partnership grew to include development of dynamic models for representation of various renewable resources and nuclear plant systems; the establishment of base algorithms for bidirectional interfaces at generation and end-use levels and throughout the grid, allowing for real-time enduser access; and creation of the conceptual approach for greater visibility of operations throughout the T&D system, including advanced concepts for monitoring, diagnostics, automation and more.
Westinghouse // JANUARY 2010
The traditional nuclear economic paradigm of a simple base load resource will change as nuclear energy becomes more of an integral part of load management. Methodologies developed from research help to determine what type of future reactor technology will be needed, as well as what the dynamic response capabilities must be.
Westinghouse partnered with the Pitt EPSL in 2010 to develop concepts for smart grid interface control strategies in order to coordinate base load nuclear power with various forms of renewable and traditional energy resources related to future energy portfolios. The
Westinghouse Electric Company provides a wide range of nuclear power plant products and services to utilities throughout the world. From advanced nuclear plant designs to nuclear fuel, service and maintenance, instrumentation and control systems, Westinghouse is a leader in all aspects of nuclear energy.
US DOE OEDER
// SEPTEMBER
2010
In September 2010, Pitt and Lehigh University partnered to establish a network of graduate Smart Grid Fellows
BUILDING THE POWER OF TOMORROW
through a grant from the U.S. DOE Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. The goal was to build a community of scholars who will be trained to become trainers of the skilled engineering workforce in the smart grid area.
Currently, there is a shortage of people qualified to train the smart grid skilled workforce of tomorrow. The goal of the program was to change this by recruiting master’s degree candidates and modifying current master’s programs to include a specialized concentration of smart grid electives and a commonly themed student project that spanned the course of three years.
The program focused on professors who were teaching at community colleges and high school teachers from the Mid-Atlantic and western Great Lakes regions; recent B.S. graduates of electrical and computer science engineering disciplines; and engineers in the workforce who were interested in modifying their career path to one focused on being the future trainers of electric power sector workers.
One particularly significant outcome was the Pitt EPSL development of a middle school STEM curriculum in energy and electric power, piloted successfully at a local school. In addition, numerous M.S. and Ph.D. students from Pitt and Lehigh became smart grid fellows and have carried this experience into their industry careers.
Lehigh University and the University of Pittsburgh are establishing a network of graduate Smart Grid fellows to help build a community of scholars who will be trained to become trainers of a skilled Smart Grid workforce.
PA BFTDA // JANUARY 2011
The BFTDA was instrumental in initially supporting the establishment of the electric power research group in the Pitt Swanson School of Engineering with a research grant titled “Interfaces of Nuclear, Mining, and Electric Power Engineering Initiative,” covering a two-year period from 2009 through 2010.
Much of the work from this grant and the continuing BFTDA support in 2011 focused on the interface and integration of renewable and green energy resources with the electric power transmission and distribution grid. New methods have been developed for wind, solar and nuclear power generation management, including applications for advancements in control technologies and in High Voltage DC (HVDC) transmission and Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) technologies. This has included interface applications with both energy storage and smart grid technologies for utility-scale clean energy implementation.
Much of the work was conducted with collaboration and support from several regional and national industry partners. This support, along with government grants from the U.S. Dept. of Energy (Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability), the U.S. Dept. of Commerce and the National Science Foundation, augmented the BFTDA grant work. The results have led to important technology development needs for industry. Continued support of these research commercialization endeavors is important to our regional, state and national energy agenda, and serves to provide additional contributions in these critical areas of the energy sector.
ABB // JANUARY 2011
The development of Medium Voltage Direct Current (MVDC) technology is critical to Active Grid Infrastructure advancement and has many advantages and applications in the emerging power and energy sector. Some of the need for MVDC technology development has been driven by the liberalization of the energy market, which has led to innovations and
installations of large-scale wind farms, solar farms, fuel cells, battery storage and distributed generation.
This groundbreaking project involved the development of MVDC technology for applications on the electric grid and for Active Grid Infrastructure solutions. The work developed the concepts of an MVDC substation for converting and integrating high-voltage transmission into the distribution network, while interconnecting medium voltage synchronous and DC generation resources. The research efforts compared and contrasted the costs and benefits associated with the use of AC and DC infrastructure, as well as hybrid AC/DC solutions. These costs and benefits address operational losses throughout the electrical system, impacts on power flow control capability and resulting effects on power quality and system reliability.
This early work in DC technology, supported by ABB, has helped Pitt’s electric power research group become a leading academic program in the area of direct current architecture and infrastructure for advanced power system applications.
of intermittent renewable generation are introduced into the existing utility grid. This has created considerable interest in offshore grid infrastructures to allow the aggregation of power from multiple wind farms and delivery of wind power to different onshore locations.
In November 2011, the Pitt EPSL partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), ABB and AWS True Wind on a project for the National Offshore Wind Energy Grid Interconnection Study (NOWEGIS).
The study was designed to identify and help address market barriers to the large-scale introduction of offshore wind energy into the U.S. energy portfolio. NOWEGIS was a national-level study (of the lower 48 states) that considered the resources, technologies and regulatory environment that may advance or hinder this goal.
ABB is a pioneering technology leader in electrification products, robotics and motion, industrial automation and power grids, serving customers in utilities, industry, and transport and infrastructure globally. Continuing a history of innovation spanning more than 130 years, ABB today is writing the future of industrial digitalization with two clear value propositions: bringing electricity from any power plant to any plug and automating industries from natural resources to finished products.
Through this study, Pitt and its partners were able to help determine that the United States has sufficient offshore wind energy resources to consider having at least 54 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power. NOWEGIS focused on the ability to integrate up to 54 GW of offshore wind power into the U.S. grid by 2030. Contributions to this work from Pitt specifically considered the advantages of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission interconnection of offshore wind integration and an overall assessment of electricity delivery technologies, including the applications of Flexible AC Transmission Systems for onshore voltage support and power regulation.
US DOE EERE // NOVEMBER 2011
NOWEGIS is one piece of a body of work funded by the U.S. DOE that was designed to identify and help address the market barriers to the large-scale introduction of offshore wind energy into the U.S. energy portfolio. NOWEGIS was a nationallevel study (of the lower 48 states) that considered the resources, technologies and regulatory environment that may advance or hinder this goal.
The reliable delivery of offshore wind power will become increasingly important as higher penetrations
BUILDING THE POWER OF TOMORROW
ARPA-E ADEPT
// NOVEMBER 2011
In November 2011, the Pitt EPSL contributed to an ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy) funded project.
The project focused on the Solar Agile Delivery of Power Technology (Solar ADEPT) program, which aims to improve the performance of photovoltaic (PV) solar energy systems. The project that Pitt was a part of investigated the development and adoption of a nanocomposite magnet technology for high-frequency MW-scale power converters. The participants of the project were Carnegie Mellon University, Magnetics (a Division of Spang & Co.), Los Alamos National Lab and Pitt.
The role of the Pitt research team was primarily to develop an economic analysis of the technology advancement, aid in technology-to-market assessments and evaluate material performance in applicable scenarios. More specifically, Pitt was tasked with assessing the economic impact of higher-frequency operation on energy conversion for MW-scale power applications and site preparation and installation.
ARPA-E advances high-potential, high-impact energy technologies that are too early for privatesector investment. ARPA-E projects have the potential to radically improve U.S. economic prosperity, national security and environmental well-being. ARPA-E focuses on transformational energy projects that can be meaningfully advanced with a small investment over a defined period of time. Its streamlined awards process enables it to act quickly and catalyze cutting-edge areas of energy research.
DOE NETL GTC //
AUGUST 2012
Improving the reliability and stability of electrical power and the development of the smart grid will provide the capacity to more efficiently manage electricity generation, enable the integration of large-scale renewable energy resources and energy storage and provide more stable and efficient delivery of electrical power. This will result in a more efficient delivery of electrical power, while reducing overall CO2 emissions—including power generated from fossil fuel assets.
In 2012, the Pitt EPSL took the lead in establishing a major initiative—the Grid Technologies Collaborative —in partnership with the U.S. DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and other university partners.
The Grid Technologies Collaborative (GTC) was established with a mission to lead new developments, demonstrations and applications of grid-scale power electronics devices and systems, including advanced Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS), High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Systems and emerging hybrid AC/ DC infrastructure. This mission aligns with the nation’s need to enable an advanced electricity transmission and distribution system that is efficient, reliable and resilient; integrates clean-energy-generation resources, energy storage and advanced operational concepts; and enables greater levels of consumer participation.
The group—including Pitt, CMU, PSU, WVU, VA Tech and NETL—brings complementary strengths together from each of the participating organizations that range from modeling and analysis to converter design and controls to prototyping and demonstration of new power-electronicsbased technologies. The GTC also developed key industry and public sector partnerships in order to strengthen technology collaborations and engage in professional workforce training.
The DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory has a 100-year history of partnering with academia and industry to solve the nation’s energy issues by developing and commercializing new technologies. NETL has conducted these long-standing partnerships through the NETLRegional University Alliance. This partnership combined the facilities, expertise and resources of NETL with those of five world-renowned research universities — Pitt, CMU, WVU, VA Tech and PSU — as well as industry partner URS Corporation.
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation // APRIL 2013
The Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO) partnered with Pitt EPSL on new technology development for next-generation High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) systems in April 2013.
This partnership involved Pitt’s contributions to the technical support of MELCO’s new HVDC development program. The Pitt participation included aspects of advanced HVDC systems modeling and simulation, DC fault analysis, DC protection system design and newly developed relaying schemes.
Through the application of industry-standard analysis and simulation tools, Pitt supported the MELCO development by generating a novel approach to direct current fault identification and protection, leading to a successful patent application.
HVDC technologies are rapidly becoming the method of choice for utilities worldwide in expanding and developing new transmission system infrastructure. HVDC offers many benefits over traditional AC transmission, including lower operating losses, reduced installation costs, fewer right-of-way requirements, greater power flow control and higher power-carrying
capacity (by nearly 8x), and advantages to underground transmission for densely populated urban areas and undersea transmission system for offshore wind integration.
Mitsubishi Electric is one of the world’s leading corporations in the research, development, manufacture and sales of electrical and electronic products and systems used in a broad range of fields and applications. Since its founding in 1921, Mitsubishi Electric has been at the forefront of technical ingenuity and product innovation, including in the area of electric power T&D equipment.
Pitt Ohio // JUNE 2013
In order to keep up with growing demand from consumers, there is a growing focus on developing solutions to make the nation’s electric grid more flexible, reliable, sustainable and efficient. One possible method to meet these targets is through the implementation of microgrids. Microgrids are localized grids that can disconnect from the existing power grid and operate autonomously by providing enough resources to meet demand. Operating separately from the grid is an advantage for the current electric grid system, since the application of microgrids reduces the strain on and vulnerability of the electric grid.
In June 2013, the Pitt EPSL partnered with the PITT OHIO Express trucking company on the development of the nation’s first Direct Current (DC) based microgrid— combining solar PV, wind generation and energy storage through a novel DC integration approach – at PITT OHIO’s new trucking distribution facility in Harmar, Pennsylvania.
The goal of this first-of-its-kind renewable integration project was to create a viable system architecture for integrating the existing AC power system with renewable energy resources (50 kW of solar power and 5 kW of wind power) and energy storage (70
BUILDING THE POWER OF TOMORROW
kWHr battery system), distributed through a 380-V DC backbone, to promote future research in sustainable power solutions. The application at the Harmar facility greatly supplemented the overall sustainability approach at the facility, which went on to achieve LEED Platinum certification.
PITT OHIO Express is a leading transportation solutions provider based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, committed to promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship. All trucking companies understand that their business has an impact on the environment. PITT OHIO Express continuously pledges to improve the environmental and social sustainability performance of its business.
FirstEnergy
// JUNE 2013
One of the main challenges in integrating higher penetrations of renewable energy resources at the utility distribution level is the impact it has on electrical feeder operation and system protection. Because of its intermittent and variable nature, and the potential for higher-level penetrations to “feed back” into the grid, renewable energy generation presents new challenges to electrical distribution system planning, design and operation, including the newly developed modern relaying protection schemes requiring advanced sensing and monitoring technology systems.
In June 2013, FirstEnergy and the Pitt EPSL entered into a multiyear partnership on electric power distribution modeling and simulation for feeder analytics and distributed energy resource integration.
The primary objective was to leverage the data collected on monitored feeders to support analytics for planning, design and operation of the distribution system. The feeders were monitored using distributed line and substation sensors, which were integrated through the BPL Global Integrated Control Platform. This was accomplished by integrating the data for approximately
four substations and one dozen feeders in the Jersey Central Power & Light operating territory, using existing FirstEnergy sensors and applying advanced feeder models.
FirstEnergy and its subsidiaries form one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems, based on serving 6 million customers in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Stretching from the Ohio-Indiana border to the New Jersey shore, the companies operate a vast infrastructure of more than 269,000 miles of distribution lines and are dedicated to providing customers with safe, reliable and responsive service.
Siemens // OCTOBER 2013
Many regions throughout the U.S. are experiencing challenges in meeting renewable energy mandates or goals. Wind and solar energy are the predominant sources of such energy, providing the lowest costs and highest capacity compared to other forms of nonhydroelectric renewables.
However, existing power transmission infrastructure is simply not capable of integrating large amounts of renewable energy, nor can it satisfactorily transmit and deliver that energy to the end user in an efficient way. Much of this is predicated on the legacy AC transmission design and infrastructure in the U.S., which was developed primarily in the mid-20th century (1930s to 1970s) and has not experienced significant upgrade or modernization since that time. Another challenge for the U.S. is that the load centers are not within the geographical areas where wind and solar power densities are maximized.
In October 2013, Siemens partnered with the Pitt EPSL on a transmission technology project to help address these needs, studying applications of both High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) systems and Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS). HVDC technology
is ideally suited for meeting the challenges of largescale power transmission, providing an efficient and cost-effective mechanism for transferring very large amounts of power (~8 GW on a single line) over significant distances. Such systems are being used to increase power to load centers in a controlled manner without impacting fault current magnitudes in targeted networks. In addition, FACTS technologies enable more efficient operation of existing AC networks by providing dynamic voltage control and power system stability. Since most HVDC systems are connected to, or link, existing AC transmission systems, the application of both technologies within a given project has increasing potential and offers significant advantages to projects such as large-scale offshore wind integration.
The project focused on modeling, simulation, analytical modeling and root cause analysis (frequency domain) of various HVDC and FACTS applications within a transmission infrastructure scenario. Models were developed to simulate various integration potentials, providing a platform for proof-of-concept considerations.
positioned to exploit the advantages of DC, and to lead, accelerate and benefit from a developing evolution from Alternating Current (AC) to DC power in various electricity delivery and energy supply applications, as well as ushering in the emergence of hybrid AC/DC networks, operations and microgrids. DC technology and applications offer the promise of:
• Enhanced energy efficiency, improved power quality and reliability, and inherent alignment with renewable and clean energy development, and
• The potential for the Pittsburgh region to become a global leader in knowledge, innovation, research and development, education and manufacturing related to DC power and microgrid developments.
Siemens is a global powerhouse focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is a leading supplier of systems for power generation and transmission as well as medical diagnosis.
Hillman Family Foundations // JUNE 2014
Direct Current (DC) electric power is an emerging disruptive technological area that has the potential to stimulate economic growth, inspire innovation, increase research and development opportunities, create jobs and simultaneously advance environmental sustainability. The Pittsburgh region is eminently well
The Pittsburgh region possesses a powerful innovation ecosystem in electric power—national research laboratories, universities, large companies, small and mediumsized companies, government support, and tax and production incentives. The Electric Power Systems Laboratory in the Swanson School of Engineering at Pitt has established leadership positions in the arena of DC power, which constitute a committed and potential nucleus of thrust for the Pittsburgh region to take a strong leadership position nationally for DC technology development and applications.
In June 2014, the Pitt EPSL received a grant from the Hillman Family Foundations to advance the research, development and early-stage demonstration and deployment of DC-based technologies and solutions. The result has been the establishment of the DCAMPS Program (Direct Current Architecture for Modern Power Systems). The work of the DC-AMPS program has already led to groundbreaking results, including nationally recognized first-of-its-kind DC application deployments (such as with the PITT OHIO Express Harmar project), and has solidly positioned Pitt, its partners and the region as a leading hub of DC developments.
BUILDING THE POWER OF TOMORROW
Hillman Family Foundations (HFF) was created in 2009 when the 18 separate foundations were formally reorganized as one corporation.
Based in Pittsburgh, HFF now supports the philanthropic and civic work of four generations of Hillman family members. With program interests in seven cities and regions across the United States, each of the 18 foundations has a unique mission and geographic focus governed principally by a living Hillman family member or according to the wishes of the person for whom the fund is named.
Duquesne Light Company //
JANUARY 2016
In the fall of 2015, Duquesne Light and the Pitt Swanson School of Engineering announced their intent to partner to help redefine the future of the energy landscape in the region. Formally introduced at the 10th annual Pitt Electric Power Industry Conference, this new partnership marked a major milestone for both organizations.
Duquesne Light’s multiyear financial contribution is helping to fund electric power research, energy efficiency, laboratory facilities and equipment at Pitt, in addition to providing the necessary expertise and infrastructure upgrades to interconnect Pitt’s new electric power laboratory facilities at the GRID Institute/ Energy Innovation Center to the existing electric power grid.
This strategic partnership includes projects designed to provide Duquesne Light with critical knowledge to help inform future grid design and potential new product and service offerings, while helping to enable expanded research opportunities for students and faculty in the university’s energy and electric power programs.
A major hallmark of this partnership is the university and Duquesne Light working together to design and install an urban microgrid at Duquesne Light’s Woods Run Facility, located in Pittsburgh’s North Shore. The installation serves as a real-world laboratory to research microgrid resiliency and the integration of distributed and renewable energy resources into the electric power distribution grid, as well as other key enabling technology areas such as power electronics controllers, direct current (DC) infrastructure, energy storage systems and smart grid technologies.
Duquesne Light built and operates the Pittsburgh region’s electric power transmission and distribution grid. It works to manage and maintain a sophisticated, redundant electric network infrastructure that powers the entire city and minimizes outage frequency primarily in the downtown central business district. The company is a leader in the transmission and distribution of electric energy, offering superior customer service and reliability to more than a half a million customers in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Richard K. Mellon Foundation // JANUARY 2016
The Pitt Center for Energy, the City of Pittsburgh, the U.S. Department of Energy/NETL, regional foundations and key industry organizations have collaborated to develop concepts, pilot projects and implementation of an exciting District Energy Initiative. Considering an overarching “grid of microgrids” concept—developed by Pitt researchers—
within and around the city of Pittsburgh, the goals of the District Energy Initiative are to create a more resilient, efficient, reliable, economic and sustainable energy ecosystem for our region. The District Energy Initiative will help position Pittsburgh as a leading city in the 21st century for creating one of the largest and most advanced energy infrastructures in the county.
In January 2016, Pitt received a multiyear grant from the Richard K. Mellon Foundation to support outreach, coordination, and research and development activities associated with this important regional initiative. Pitt’s Center for Energy and its Energy GRID Institute—through efforts including the recent establishment of the Henry L. Hillman Foundation-supported DC-AMPS program and the Duquesne Light power engineering partnership, as well as ongoing partnerships with Eaton, Mitsubishi, ABB, Siemens, Pitt-Ohio Express, FirstEnergy and other industry partners—are well positioned to expand regional leadership in the areas of energy and power grid technologies. These partnerships and activities, among other areas of energy and power technology research, development and demonstration, will be leveraged in conjunction with the City of Pittsburgh’s plans to meet carbon emission reduction and sustainability goals through various pilot projects across the city and throughout the region. Nearly 20 such projects are already well into the concept and proposal development stages or implementation phases, in which Pitt has taken on a significant role.
For 70 years, the Richard King Mellon Foundation has invested in the competitive future and quality of life in southwestern Pennsylvania, and in the protection, preservation and restoration of America’s environmental heritage. With assets over $2.3 billion as of December 31, 2016, the R.K. Mellon Foundation has built on the vision of its founders. The Foundation’s current giving priorities primarily serve southwestern Pennsylvania, with a program focus on Regional Economic Development and Conservation, along with Education and Human Services and Nonprofit Capacity Building.
DOE FEEDER // May 2017
The goal of FEEDER (Foundations for Engineering Education for Distributed Energy Resources), established by the U.S. Department of Energy, is to accelerate the deployment of distributed power systems technologies through innovative research; crossinstitutional, highly collaborative education of the current and future workforce; partnering with public and private entities in energy systems and the smart grid’; and leveraging well-designed and complementary research, development, test, analysis and evaluation.
The Pitt Swanson School of Engineering joined FEEDER in 2017 to support the group’s key objectives:
1. Identify the research/educational/training needs and define specific implementation plans in distributed technology and smart grid power engineering by working with the Department of Energy and other supporting agencies.
2. Attract and educate more students to become future power engineers and to meet the challenges of reengineering electric grids and incorporating renewable and distributed generations. Significantly enhance power systems engineering curriculum to include distributed technologies, the smart grid and other disciplines important to their success.
3. Establish cross-institutional research collaborations to solve real-world R&D challenges, to better disseminate research outcomes and to speed up technology transfer and smart grid implementation.
4. Enhance the capabilities of the present utility workforce using short courses and workshops that specifically address grid integration of distributed power systems and the smart grid.
The FEEDER Program is a consortium of 12 universities, two national laboratories, 17 utility partners and 10 supporting industrial companies. FEEDER’s primary mission is to significantly advance power systems engineering capability in the United States.
Dr. Gregory Reed, Rich Riazzi (DLC) and Chancellor Pat Gallagher
THE SPARK FROM SWANSON
John Swanson, who earned his Ph.D. in applied mechanics from Pitt in 1966, has been a dedicated alumnus and trustee, a generous benefactor and outstanding collaborator and mentor to Swanson School faculty and students alike. The founder of ANSYS Inc., which markets the simulation software used by engineers around the world, Dr. Swanson is an award-winning innovator who has been recognized as a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a recipient of the American Association of Engineering Societies’ John Fritz Medal, considered the highest award in the engineering profession.
In 2002, Dr. Swanson was inducted into the Cathedral of Learning Society, which recognizes individuals who have donated $1 million or more to the university. Through his earlier investments in Pitt’s $2 billion Building Our Future Together capital campaign, Swanson created the John A. Swanson Institute for Technical Excellence, which houses the John A. Swanson Center for Micro and Nano Systems, the John A. Swanson Center for Product Innovation and the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Center of Excellence. He also has established the John A. Swanson Embedded Computing Laboratory in Computer Engineering.
Because of his generosity to the University of Pittsburgh, in December 2007 Pitt renamed its engineering school the John A. Swanson School of Engineering. Dr. Swanson’s dedication to his alma mater has also enabled the Swanson School to develop innovative lab spaces and programs that benefit both academic programs and electric power research.
He has often lent his expertise to Pitt engineering students as an advisor on senior design projects and is never afraid to get his hands dirty. His passion for renewable energy systems, specifically solar installations, was the impetus for integrating dedicated solar power research in the EPSL. Dr. Swanson participated in the design and funded the installation of four solar arrays on the roof of Benedum Hall in September 2012.
The array was the first of its kind on Pitt’s campus and enables students to monitor the effectiveness of the modules from the lab and explore how to develop innovative solar installations, like those later installed at the PITT-OHIO complex in Harmar, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Swanson has returned often to the Swanson School, not only to continue to work with students on their projects, but also to present seminars on his solar energy research, its economic viability and its adoption by municipalities, cities and businesses throughout the U.S.
During that time, the Swanson School was also pursuing the build-out of an Electric Power Technologies Laboratory in the Energy Innovation Center—formerly the Connelly Trade School—in Pittsburgh’s Lower Hill District. As part of that endeavor to build the most
advanced electric utility-scale research facility in the U.S., plans were made to integrate solar research into the lab’s portfolio. The EIC roof above the lab is perfectly designed for a solar installation—its distinctive bays slope at an angle to the southern sky.
With the cooperation of Pittsburgh Gateways, which renovated the EIC, the Swanson School team again worked with Dr. Swanson to develop a plan for a pilot solar installation on one bay roof. Through Dr. Swanson’s support, the panels will be installed in 2019 and integrated into the EPTL’s operation and control center and microgrid lab. The array, which will also provide power to the lab, complements the other renewable technologies to be studied there, as well as AC, DC and hybrid power systems.
Dr. John Swanson (second from left) and friends following one of his keynote addresses at EPIC
Chancellor Mark Nordenberg (left) and Dr. John Swanson (right) at the Swanson School of Engineering dedication ceremony—2007
EMPOWERING YOUNG MINDS WITH NEW FACILITIES
BUILDING TOMORROW’S WORKFORCE requires working hand in hand with employers to ensure that students get the education and training they need.
No place is a better example of that partnership than the University of Pittsburgh’s Electric Power Systems Lab.
Built with electrical products donated by global electrical business leader Eaton, the 1,500-square-foot lab educates the next generation of electric power engineers with the latest power delivery technology. The design of the facility was inspired by Eaton’s Power System Experience Center in Warrendale, Pennsylvania.
Students are visual learners, and electrical concepts are especially hard to understand or visualize. The Benedum Lab was designed with visual learning in mind, with modern, full-scale electrical equipment created by some of Pitt’s brightest engineering students and faculty in conjunction with Eaton’s staff from our world-class training facility in Pittsburgh.
We believe this lab will help Pitt create industry leaders for many years to come.”
Dan Carnovale, Power Systems Experience Center Manager, Eaton Corporation
“We need to rely on the next generation of highly skilled engineers to help us meet our critical electrical power management challenges,” said Revathi Advaithi, president, Electrical Sector, Americas Region, Eaton. “Our continued collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh, and innovative training initiatives like the new Electric Power Systems Lab, can help attract the most talented students to this vital field and reinforce the Pittsburgh region’s growing reputation as a leader in energy innovation.”
Housed
and
- AC and DC microgrid development
- Smart grid technologies
- Power electronics devices and systems
- Renewable energy systems and integration
- Controls and communications
- Automation and relaying
- Distribution engineering
- Power quality
- Electrical safety
- Energy management
- Energy storage
- And other emerging power technology
on the Energy Floor in Benedum Hall, the lab provides opportunities for faculty
graduate students to perform advanced work in these areas:
Graduate student researchers (from left) Matthieu Bertin, Thomas Cook, Jake Friedrich, Hashim Al Hassan and Santino Graziani
Dan Carnovale delivering the student address at EPIC
David Roop Sr. and David Roop (father/son)
THE GRID INSTITUTE BECOMES A GLOBAL LEADER IN ELECTRIC POWER ENGINEERING
THE ENERGY INDUSTRY is facing more than just a talent gap. Power and energy infrastructure is rapidly aging and was never built to integrate today’s vast renewable energy resources. Grid technologies, systems, designs, operations, regulations, markets and policy are all being affected.
There needed to be a place to not only address these issues, but also to plan for the next ones. To face these challenges head on, the University of Pittsburgh launched the Energy Grid Research and Infrastructure Development (GRID) Institute.
Built on research by the Electric Power Systems Laboratory, the facility helps foster and grow Pitt’s public and private partnerships with a stateof-the-art laboratory space at the Energy Innovation Center in Downtown Pittsburgh. This laboratory facility creates a truly comprehensive solution and destination for the entire energy industry.
Modernizing the nation’s electric power grid and energy infrastructure requires a team effort. Building that coalition has been Gregory Reed, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the Swanson School of Engineering.
The University’s leading research in energy and sustainability and its state-of-the-art laboratory space at the Energy Innovation Center enables GRID to evaluate, assess and develop solutions collaboratively with our partners on major issues and technologies that impact not only our nation’s power grid but also energy transmission and distribution infrastructure around the globe.”
Industry partners are committed to making that happen. Reed, with university colleagues Brandon Grainger and Katrina Kelly-Pitou, has already built an impressive list of collaborators working together to tackle some pretty big challenges.
In collaboration with researchers, the GRID Institute is working to address sector critical issues, including:
- Energy storage and power electronics technologies (medium voltage to grid scale)
- Electric vehicle-to-grid concepts
- Direct current (DC) infrastructure, technologies and standards
- And many other growing facets to meet industry needs
Partners:
High-voltage area of the Energy GRID Institute Power Laboratory
GRID Institute inaugural partner ceremony. Dave Bucklew—EATON, Dr. Reed—University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Swanson, Rob Smith—Sargent Electric, Steve Schilling—Emerson, Ben Morris—Duquesne Light Company
OUTSIDE THE LAB
ANNUAL PITT ELECTRIC POWER INDUSTRY CONFERENCE (EPIC)
The Pitt Electric Power Industry Conference (EPIC) was initiated in 2006 as an opportunity for expanded networking between electric power and energy engineering students in the Swanson School of Engineering and professionals in the electric power and energy industry sector. Over the years the conference has expanded, allowing opportunities to showcase relevant university research, to invite feedback from the professional community, to highlight trends and emerging technologies in the industry and to provide a forum for discussion of regional, national and international developments related to energy and electric power. Several aspects of the conference benefit attendees, including industry-university collaborations and networking, and industry-to-industry relationship development. Bringing these communities together, along with relevant government and community organizations that are represented at the conference—such as the U.S. Dept. of Energy, city governments, foundations and others—provides tremendous opportunities to develop regional partnerships that have resulted in national and global programs and contributions.
EPIC was founded in the fall term of 2006, hosting just six industry participants (at the time only regional electric utilities) and approximately 40 attendees among students from the ECE-1769 Power Systems Analysis class and related faculty. The original event was held in a classroom setting, and while small, created the right environment to establish the dialogue and networking that were recognized as having potential to be expanded upon in future years. Also, at this first event, each industry attendee
eventually hired one of the Pitt power students in attendance the very next year, either as a full-time employee, summer intern or cooperative program student. The conference has grown exponentially since then, both in attendance and impact. It has expanded to be held over two days and now includes keynote addresses, various panel sessions, invited technical paper presentations, industry exhibits, graduate student research poster sessions and minisymposiums, workshops on specific ongoing grants or potential research focus areas, and a popular evening student-industry networking event.
In recent years, the conference has included upward of 75 industry organizations, including sponsors and exhibitors, and as many as 225 attendees. The various aforementioned sessions that compose the conference agenda provide for strong networking and interaction among electric power industry professionals and university students and faculty, as well as key government agencies. The invited presenters, keynote speakers, panelists and workshop leaders form the basis for continued collaboration opportunities to develop between university and industry partners, as well as the foundation for expanded partnerships as the number and diversity of attendees grow with time. Past conferences have been the predecessor for a number of established master research agreements, research program contracts, educational program and curriculum development, targeted student recruitment and hiring, and expanded relationships in other areas with various corporations and government/community entities. It is expected that EPIC will continue to enhance the quality of these relationships in the years ahead and help to foster new agreements and partnerships in the rapidly emerging electric power and energy sectors.
INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY to study abroad has had a tremendous impact on students, faculty and various constituents, and has led to a groundbreaking international partnership.
Students have been able to gain a direct hands-on understanding of grid technologies and infrastructure, renewable and distributed energy resource developments, and community-based district energy project initiatives both here in the U.S. and in Denmark and Sweden through the study abroad immersion period.
This program has provided the opportunity to compare and contrast the differences in approaches to environmentally responsible energy strategies and implementation methodologies, ranging from technical application to policy and regulatory aspects, and to help inform the impacts of future energy decisions on climate change issues.
The course experiences and much of the student reporting from the program have been incorporated by the faculty into other courses, seminars and training programs related to the subject matter, and have been a catalyst for broader understanding and regional implementations of clean energy engineering practices, taking into consideration a
true global perspective. Many of these practices are now being integrated through faculty research efforts into microgrid and renewable energy project developments in the Pittsburgh region through our District Energy Initiative with the local utility, as well as at local industry and community partner site installations.
Faculty have also been afforded the opportunity to create and further expand existing mutually beneficial relationships and collaboration developments with Danish and Swedish universities and industry partners, including the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Aalborg University and the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden (KTH), as well as Asea-Brown Boveri (ABB), Ramboll Industries, the Middelgrunden Wind Cooperative, Danish and Swedish electric utilities, and others.
In addition, through the interactions related to this course, a strong partnership has been formed with the Danish Embassy to the U.S. and with the Danish Ministry of Energy, utilities and other organizations. This led to a groundbreaking Energy Governance Partnership, announced in March 2018, among the University of Pittsburgh’s Energy GRID Institute, the Danish Energy Agency and the cities of Pittsburgh and Copenhagen.
Dr. Bill Stanchina and Dr. Marlin Mickle enjoying a laugh
Conference attendees—2009
Middelgrunden wind farm tour—2017
Jaerispris Thermal Solar and District Energy facility—2018
OUTSIDE THE LAB
The EPSL group is dedicated to service and volunteerism related to K-12 STEM education. EPSL graduate student researchers are encouraged to participate in at least two such activities per academic year. K-12 STEM engagement has included sponsorship and volunteerism for various regional and national programs, including the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science, the Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair, Future City Competition in partnership with the Carnegie Science Center and the Engineers’ Society of Western PA, the Pitt Science Outreach Program, and many visits to regional middle and high schools to speak on STEM and the importance of engineering and career opportunities. In addition, through support of the U.S. Dept. of Energy and the IEEE, EPSL launched the development of a middle-school energy curriculum, first piloted at Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh and since introduced to regional school districts.
For good pay and a secure future, the field promises untold jobs and potential for career advancement.
“We are looking at a retirement wave of almost 50 percent of the technical work force in the power industry in the next 10 years,” said Gregory Reed of Pitt’s Electric Power Systems Lab. To help fill the forthcoming talent gap, Reed spent the last semester teaching Introduction to Energy & Electricity, an overview class, to eighth graders at Aquinas Academy in Hampton.
The course introduced students to energy resources and development, energy diversification and
utilization, electricity concepts, energy and electricity delivery, electricity generation, electric power systems and smart grids, plus the economic, societal and global aspects of energy and electricity.
SUPPORTING OUR REGION’S YOUNGEST SCIENTISTS
BUILDING A LOVE AND INTEREST in STEM is vital for not only the electrical engineering field but all scientific endeavors.
Electricity has become the lifeblood of modern society. We can’t do anything without it, and energy development is what fuels electricity...We’ve got to get that technical leadership back in the United States. We’re losing it to countries overseas.”
“Electricity has become the lifeblood of modern society,” Reed said. “We can’t do anything without it, and energy development is what fuels electricity.”
Reed taught the Introduction to Energy & Electricity class as a pilot program geared to whet the appetites of middle school students for science, engineering and technology. “This is when you gotta capture them and their imaginations, and introduce them to these things,” said Reed, a father of three.
“We’re never going to have enough engineers,” Reed said. “We’ve got to get that technical leadership back in the United States. We’re losing it to countries overseas.”
A grant from the U.S. Department of Energy enabled Reed to develop and deliver Introduction to Energy & Electricity with help from industry and institutional partners, including the Eaton Corp. and Carnegie Science Center.
A goal is to bring instruction in electric power production to science classes in middle schools through high schools across the region.
The University of Pittsburgh and the Swanson School of Engineering proudly support the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) through its regional science fair programs.
On February 3, 2018, Dr. Reed and Dr. Grainger had the privilege of honoring a middle school and high school student with an award sponsored by the Center for Energy. Both of 2018’s winners focused on solar power measurements.
Every student is impacted and aided as he or she begins to launch into higher education that sets the
foundation for a future career. Consider helping to support the PJAS event if your department can do so to foster future careers in engineering, science or math.
THE SCIENCE & ENGINEERING AMBASSADORS
THE SCIENCE & ENGINEERING AMBASSADORS, a Pittsburgh-based program of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, was created to address the need for a deeper community understanding of scientific and engineering issues. Building on the National Academy of Sciences’ 150 years of experience in providing independent expert advice to national policy makers, the program is developing a science and engineering communications model to inform decision making at the local level.
The program selects and supports a team of science and engineering experts (the ambassadors) to work within their local communities to engage influential citizens in ideas and conversations around a topical issue of science/engineering and society. The purpose of engaging influential citizens and community leaders is to promote better decision making in the community, with the leaders having platforms for greater engagement of both policy
makers and the broader public. The program is also community-based and co-designed with the host city to be responsive to community context.
THE GRID ACADEMY
The Pitt Swanson School of Engineering, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and the Science & Engineering Ambassadors collaborated on a civic education/engagement program to create a set of Pittsburgh regional opinion leaders who understand the significance of the electric grid as a public policy issue, are aware of the business implications of the challenges and opportunities inherent in new grid technologies, and have the knowledge and information to make informed decisions about these issues for their businesses and for regional planning efforts.
Drs. Grainger and Reed presenting the PJAS award—2018
EDUCATION
EDUCATION AT THE PITT ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS LAB
BUILT TO DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENGINEERS, scientists and industry leaders, The Pitt Electric Power Systems Lab has established a leading curriculum to ensure that students are prepared to go out and change the world. The department works closely with the electric power and energy sector through education, research and community outreach. This close collaboration with industry partners, government sponsors and other key constituents helps Pitt ensure that we are educating students for success.
IEEE POWER & ENERGY SOCIETY (PES) SCHOLARSHIP PLUS INITIATIVE
THE IEEE PES SCHOLARSHIP PLUS INITIATIVE provides multiyear scholarships and career experience opportunities to qualifying electrical engineering undergraduate students. As long as the scholar continues to meet renewal standards, he or she will receive up to three years of funding—$2,000 the first year, $2,000 the second year and $3,000 the third year—interspersed with up to two years of valuable, hands-on career experience.
“The IEEE PES Scholarship Plus Initiative is one of the most recognized and sought-after programs, and I couldn’t be more proud of our three Power and Energy recipients,” noted Dr. Greg Reed. “All of our students who have applied for this scholarship since its inception have won, and so this is a testament to their academic excellence and research.”
PAST WINNERS:
- Corey Weimann
- Santino Fiorello Graziani
- Stephanie Cortes
- Emma Raszmann (2)
- Zachary Smith
- Christopher Scioscia
- Michael Doucette
UNDERGRADUATE ELECTRIC POWER ENGINEERING CONCENTRATION
• BS degree in EE with EPE Concentration—requires four power electives (out of nine BS power-specific courses)
• 33% of all graduating EEs are completing the EPE concentration
• 200+ EPE concentrations awarded since inception in Fall 2007
• Strong enrollments—average of 45 students in ECE1769 each Fall term
• National IEEE PES scholarships—12 Pitt recipients from 2011 - 2017
• Award-winning undergraduate research projects and papers
• Industry participation—senior design projects, co-op assignments and internships
• 100% job placement in the power/energy sector or graduate school
UNDERGRADUATE (BSEE) POWER CONCENTRATION— EST. FALL 2007
Required Courses:
• ECE 1769 Power System Engineering & Analysis I (Fall)
• Three additional electives to be selected from the following options:
• ECE 1771 Electric Machines (Fall)
• ECE 1773 Power Generation, Operation & Control (Spring)
• ECE 1673 Linear Control Systems (Spring)
• ECE 1775 Electric Power Systems and Machines Laboratory (Spring)
• ECE 1750 Power Electronics Conversion Theory (Spring)
• ECE 1710 Electric Distribution Engineering and Smart Grids (Summer)
• ENGR 1071 Electrical Power Transmission, Distribution & Grid Tech. (varies)
• ENGR 1281 Clean Energy Grid Engineering: Scandinavia (Int’l—Summer)
• ENGR 1700 Intro. to Nuclear Engineering (Mechanical Engineering course)
GRADUATE ELECTRIC POWER ENGINEERING PROGRAM
• M.S. and Ph.D. degrees offered with EPE concentration
• Graduate/Post-baccalaureate certificate program in electric power via synchronous distance learning— unique to the University of Pittsburgh (launched in 2013)
• Student demographics are approximately 50% fulltime students and 50% part-time industry students— great classroom environment
• New course developments each year—renewable energy, power electronics, smart grids, etc., with plans for more in future terms—total of 17 MS/Ph.D. level courses
• Strong enrollments—averaging 20-25+ students in many courses
• Industry-sponsored graduate scholarships and other support
• 45 graduate program alumni since 2010 (15 Ph.D./25 M.S., five Certif.)
ELECTRIC POWER CURRICULUM GRADUATE (MS/PHD) POWER CONCENTRATION EST. FALL 2009
• ECE 2774 Power System Engineering & Analysis II
• ECE 2777 Power System Transients I
• ECE 2778 Advanced Power Electronics (FACTS & HVDC Systems)
• ECE 2780 Renewable & Alternative Energy Systems
• ECE 2781 Smart Grid Technologies and Applications
• ECE 2795 Protective Relaying and Substation Automation
• ECE 2795 Microgrid Concepts and Distributed Generation Technologies
• ECE 2795 Motor Drives
• ECE 2795 Power Magnetic Devices
• ECE 2250 Power Electronics Circuits & Applications
• ECE 2646 Linear System Theory
• ECE 3775 Power System Steady State Control
• ECE 3776 Power System Stability
• ECE 3777 Power System Transients II
• ECE 3795 High-Frequency Power Electronics
• 2795 Electrical Distribution System Engineering & Analysis II
• 3795 Cyber-Physical Power Systems
• 3795 Power Electronics Conversion II
Dr. Greg Reed (left), professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and director of Pitt’s Center for Energy, with Corey Weimann and Nathan Carnovale.
Dr. Thomas McDermott, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, Stephanie Cortes, Santino Fiorello Graziani, Emma Raszmann and Dr. Gregory Reed.
Dr. Grainger with graduate students Santino Graziano and Ansel Barchowsky
OUR ALUMNI
THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HELPED US BUILD A DECADE OF SUCCESS
Ph.D. Dissertation Graduates
Patrick Lewis—December 2018
Hashim Al Hassan—April 2018
Ansel Barchowsky—April 2017
Andrew Reiman—April 2017
Laura Wieserman—December 2016
David Loucks—December 2015
Qinhao Zhang—December 2015
Shimeng Huang—August 2015
Luke Solomon—April 2015
Matthew Korytowski—December 2014
Brandon Grainger—August 2014
Emmanuel Taylor—August 2014
Robert Kerestes—April 2014
Raghav Khanna—April 2014
Ibrahem Itawai—August 2013
Hussain Bassi—April 2012
Ang Li—December 2012
MS Thesis Graduates
Thibaut Harzig—December 2018
Santino Graziani—August 2018
Jacob Friedrich—August 2018
Samantha Morello—April 2018
Mathieu Bertin—December 2017
Chris Scioscia—August 2017
Alvaro Cardoza—April 2016
Joseph Kozak – April 2016
Stephen Whaite—April 2015
Andrew Reiman—April 2015
Steve Abate—April 2015
Augustin Cremer—April 2015
Ansel Barchowsky—December 2014
Patrick Lewis—December 2014
Hashim Al Hassan—April 2014
Oreste Scioscia—December 2013
Chuanbin Wu—April 2013
Xaio Li—April 2013
Adam Sparacino—December 2012
Benoit De Courreges—December 2012
Jean Marc Coulomb—December 2012
Emmanuel Taylor—April 2012
Hsin Ju Chen—April 2012
Robert Kerestes—December 2011
Brandon Grainger—April 2011
Matthew Korytowski—April 2011
Robert O’Connor—December 2010
Ph.D. Current Students
Santino Graziani
Elizabeth Cook
Kevin Brodmerkel
Mohammed Hatatah Alvaro Cardoza
Rui Hu
Alekhya Velagapudi
Abdulaziz Alqahtani
MS Current Students
Thomas Cook
Grant Cruse
Jenna DeLozier
Zachary Smith
Erick Bittenbender
John Kieffer
Ryan Brody
Adam Emes
Christian Perenyi
Corey Weimann
Aryana Nakhai
PERSONNEL
REED Director, Electric Power System Laboratory, Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Dr. Gregory Reed is the director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Energy and the Energy GRID Institute, director of the Electric Power Systems Laboratory in the Swanson School of Engineering at Pitt and professor of Electric Power Engineering in the Swanson School’s Electrical & Computer Engineering Department.
In addition to these roles, Reed is the owner and principal consultant of Power Grid Technology Consulting LLC, and serves as a board member for the following organizations: E-Merge DC Alliance (Chief Science Advisor, Board of Directors), Engineering Society of Western Pennsylvania (Board of Directors), Western PA/WV Chapter of Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation (Board of Directors) and Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh (Board of Advisors, BoD Emeritus).
His research interests, teaching activities and related pursuits include advanced electric power grid and energy generation, transmission and distribution system technologies; power electronics and control technologies (FACTS, HVDC and MVDC systems); microgrids and DC infrastructure development, renewable energy systems and integration; smart grid technologies and applications; and energy storage.
generation organizations around the world, as well for EPRI, EEI and the U.S. DOE.
He has authored or co-authored more than 100 published papers and technical articles in the areas of electric power system analysis, the applications of advanced power systems and power electronics technologies, and power engineering education, and has presented over 115 invited seminars, lectures and keynote addresses. Reed also has well over 125 media citations, credits and appearances— including regional and national print, radio and television— on various topics related to power and energy. He is the recipient of several industry, academia, community and professional society awards.
He is a member of the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers (IEEE), including the IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES), Power Electronics Society (PELS) and
Reed has over 30 years of combined industry and academic experience in the electric power and energy sector, including positions in engineering, research and development, and executive management and leadership throughout his career with the Consolidated Edison Co. of New York, ABB Inc., Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and DNV-KEMA. Throughout his career, Reed has applied a unique combination of leadership, business development, marketing, financial and technical expertise to creating new business divisions, technology developments and commercialization, and complex large-scale infrastructure project implementations. His work and contributions have been applied to nearly 200 electric utility T&D and energy
Industrial Applications Society (IAS), and is also a member of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE). Past IEEE positions include governing board member of the Power & Energy Society and the president of the IEEE PES Pittsburgh chapter. He is also the founder and chair of the annual Pitt Electric Power Industry Conference (EPIC), established in 2006.
Reed earned his Ph.D. in electric power engineering from the University of Pittsburgh (1997), his M.Eng.in electric power from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1986) and his B.S.E.E. with electric power concentration from Gannon University (1985).
BRANDON GRAINGER
Associate Director, Electric Power Systems Laboratory, Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Dr. Grainger is currently an assistant professor and associate director of the Electric Power Systems laboratory in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt), Swanson School of Engineering. He is also an affiliate of the Energy GRID Institute. He holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering with a specialization in power conversion. He also obtained his master’s degree in electrical engineering and bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering (with minor in electrical engineering), all from Pitt. He was one of the first R.K. Mellon graduate student fellows through the Center for Energy at Pitt.
Dr. Grainger’s research interests are in electric power conversion, medium- to high-voltage power electronics (HVDC and STATCOM), general power electronic converter design (topology, controller design, magnetics), resonant converters and high power density design, power semiconductor evaluation (SiC and GaN) and reliability assessment, military power systems, DC system design and protection, fault identification techniques and power electronics for microgrid applications.
Dr. Grainger has either worked at or interned for ABB Corporate Research in Raleigh, North Carolina; ANSYS Inc. in Southpointe, Pennsylvania; Mitsubishi Electric in Warrendale, Pennsylvania; and Siemens Industry in New Kensington, Pennsylvania; and has regularly volunteered at Eaton’s Power Systems Experience Center in Warrendale, Pennsylvania, designing electrical demonstrations. In his career thus far, he has contributed to 50+ articles in the general area of electric power engineering (emphasis on electric power conversion), all of which have been published through the IEEE. Dr. Grainger is a member of the IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES), IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) and Industrial Electronics Society (IES), and is an annual reviewer of various power electronic conferences and transaction articles. Dr. Grainger is a senior member of the IEEE and served as the IEEE Pittsburgh PELS Chapter chair over the last three years, during which the section has won numerous awards.
GREGORY
Dr. Grainger (left) with Ken Mickinac of Sargent Electric Company
PERSONNEL
ALEXIS KWASINSKI
Associate
Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Dr. Kwasinski received his B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the Buenos Aires Institute of Technology (ITBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1993; his Graduate Specialization degree in telecommunications from the University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, in 1997; and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, Champaign, Illinois, in 2005 and 2007, respectively.
From 1993 to 1997, he was with Telefonica of Argentina, designing and planning telephony outside plant networks. Then he was with Lucent Technologies Power Systems (later Tyco Electronics Power Systems) for five years as a technical support engineer and a technical consultant in Latin America. For three years, he was also a part-time instructor in charge of ITBA’s Telecommunications Laboratory. From 2007 to 2014, he was a faculty member at the University of Texas at Austin, where he reached the rank of tenured associate professor. He is currently an associate professor and R.K. Mellon Faculty Fellow in Energy at the University of Pittsburgh. His current research interests include power electronic systems, distributed generation (microgrids), renewable and alternative energy, smart grids, and analyses, modeling and assessment of community and critical infrastructure resilience. His resilience studies have a practical applied approach based on field damage assessments after many natural disasters that affected Japan, New Zealand, Mexico, the U.S. and Chile since 2005.
Dr. Kwasinski was a member of the Executive Committee of the Argentine Electrotechnical Association during the years 1994 and 1995. He is an associate editor for the IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion. In 2005, he received the Joseph J. Suozzi INTELEC Fellowship, and in 2007, he received the Best Technical Paper Award at International Communications Energy Conference. In 2009, he received the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, and in 2011, he received an IBM Faculty Innovation Award.
ZHI-HONG MAO
Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Bioengineering Department
Dr. Mao is a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His research interests include networked control systems, human-machine systems, and neural control and learning. He received his dual bachelor’s degrees in automatic control and applied mathematics from Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, in 1995; M.Eng. degree in intelligent control and pattern recognition from Tsinghua University in 1998; S.M. degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2000; and Ph.D. degree in medical engineering and medical physics from the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2006. He joined the University of Pittsburgh as assistant professor in 2005 and became professor in 2018. He was a recipient of the Outstanding Educator Award from the Swanson School of Engineering in 2009, NSF CAREER Award in 2010, Andrew P. Sage Best Transactions Paper Award of the IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Society in 2010, Outstanding Service Award as associate editor of IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems in 2013, and Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award from the University of Pittsburgh in 2016.
MASOUD BARATI
Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Dr. Barati received his Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, in 2013. Prior to joining Pitt, he was assistant professor at the University of Houston and Louisiana State University. He is a member of the Microgrid Protection Systems subcommittee of the Power System Relaying & Control Committee. He is the recipient of the IEEE Certificate of Appreciation Award for the establishment of a workshop on Harmonic Power System in IEEE Chicago section with S&C Company. His research interests include developing optimization and mathematical model and algorithms for the smart grid, wide-area monitoring, and power system resiliency and recovery.
KATRINA KELLY-PITOU
Research Associate, ECE Department; Manager of Strategy, Center for Energy
Dr. Kelly-Pitou holds dual roles at the University of Pittsburgh as a research associate in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and as manager of strategy and business development for the Center for Energy. Building on her previous work at the World Energy Council on Financing Resilient Energy Infrastructure in London, she joins the university in leading in the development of reliable, efficient and environmentally friendly energy solutions. Her work focuses on the interconnections between energy, the environment and economics. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Nottingham in energy development studies, as well as a master’s from Hult International Business School. Dr. Kelly-Pitou is passionate about energy as a tool for development and STEM engagement of women and girls.
WILLIAM STANCHINA
Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engr-Dept. Chairperson’s Office
Dr. Stanchina’s research interests include development of novel heterojunction electronic and optoelectronic devices and their application. During 21 years of industrial R&D, he conducted research in basic semiconductor materials growth through development of microelectronic devices and IC fabrication processes. He managed the transition of R&D through low-volume production to supply highreliability, high-performance components to government systems and commercial applications. At Pitt, he has established an electronic device measurement capability to characterize the physical structure of semiconductor devices and extract the equivalent circuit models necessary to utilize these devices in the design of components for applications. These devices are primarily wide bandgap and other compound semiconductor devices for application to smart grid power electronics and biomedical instrumentation applications. His latest research is on extending these semiconductors to nanowire growth and device development.
Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Dr. Kerestes is an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, and the Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Program director at the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering. Robert was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He got his B.S. (2010), his M.S. (2012) and his Ph.D. (2014) from the University of Pittsburgh, all with a concentration in electric power systems. Robert’s academic focus is in education as it applies to engineering at the collegiate level. His areas of interest are innovative pedagogical development and assessment in the field of electric power systems, in particular, electric machinery and electromagnetics. Robert currently serves as an officer in the American Society of Engineering Education’s (ASEE) Energy Conversion and Conservation Division. Previously, he worked as a mathematical modeler for Emerson Process Management, working on electric power applications for Emerson’s Ovation Embedded Simulator. Robert also served in the United States Navy as an interior communications electrician from 1998-2002 on active duty and served from 2002-2006 in the U.S. Naval Reserves.
for Energy
Honath is project manager at the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Energy. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering, and his energy career has included industry, academic and nonprofit work. After obtaining his BSEE, he joined Duquesne Light Company, where he served as the manager of Reliability & Standards, working with the Public Utility Commission and Pennsylvania utilities to develop and report reliability performance measures. Prior to joining the university, he was smart grid program manager with Tollgrade Communications and director of program development and industry relations with the nonprofit University Energy Partnership.
ROBERT KERESTES
WAYNE HONATH Project Manager, Center
CARRIE SNELL Administrative Coordinator
Snell provides administrative support to the Center for Energy and the Grid Institute. She received her B.S. in Marketing and Merchandising from Eastern Michigan University in 1993. She is the mother to two grown children and enjoys spending time in the outdoors with her husband and dog.
DAVID TIPPER Professor, School of Information Sciences
Dr. Tipper is a professor at the School of Information Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, where he is also the director of SIS’s graduate Telecommunications & Networking Program. Tipper has a secondary appointment at Pitt’s Department of Electrical Engineering. He is a graduate of the University of Arizona (Ph.D. in electrical engineering; M.S. in systems engineering) and Virginia Tech (B.S. in electrical engineering).
At Pitt, Tipper teaches courses on communication systems, wireless networks, network performance modeling and analysis, network design and infrastructure protection. Tipper’s research has been supported by grants from various government and corporate sources, such as NSF, DARPA, NIST, IBM, ARO and AT&T.
Prior to joining Pitt in the fall of 1994, Tipper was a faculty member at Clemson University (South Carolina) and Molde University College (Norway). Tipper also worked in industry as a system engineer on a NASA project and as a Networking Technology Center staff member at The Mitre Corporation. Tipper is also a senior member of the IEEE.
TOM CAIN Emeritus Professor
Dr. Thomas Cain is a professor emeritus in the Swanson School of Engineering. Cain (ENGR ’65, ’67G, ’70G), whose Pitt career spans more than 40 years, can still be found in his Benedum Hall office several times a week as he continues to serve as a graduate student advisor and to participate in research projects.
Cain has won several teaching awards, including the Western Electric Fund Award for Excellence in Engineering Education, and he was named a Fellow for Leadership in and Contributions to Computer Science and Engineering Education by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the world’s largest professional association for the advancement of technology. He has served the IEEE in many leadership capacities and was president of the association in 1995. For Cain’s retirement party, former students showed up from across the country to thank and congratulate him.
Cain has served on the University Senate Council, and his research has received numerous grants, resulting in the publication of many articles in scholarly journals. He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Department of Electrical Engineering in 1994. One of Cain’s main areas of research is RFID, or radio-frequency identification technology. The university is home to the RFID Center of Excellence, which is among the bestequipped and most highly regarded RFID research centers in the world, occupying six laboratories in Benedum Hall.
In 2011, Cain and his wife, Jacquelyn (“Jackie”) Cain, pledged $2 million to fund an endowed chair in the Swanson School’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The James Thomas Cain and Jacquelyn Stone Cain Endowed Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering will allow the Cains, both Pitt alumni, to leave a legacy to Pitt of supporting extraordinary university faculty members.
Thank you to the leaders, educators and engineers who have helped the Swanson School of Engineering become what it is today.
